Osceola County deputy arrested for cyberstalking, domestic battery: officials
OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. - An Osceola County Sheriff's Office deputy was arrested on charges of cyberstalking and domestic battery this week, according to officials.
Douglas Ford, 36, is currently in custody at the Osceola County Jail after a judge signed an arrest warrant, the sheriff's office said in a statement. He's facing multiple charges, including domestic battery, cyberstalking, and 10 counts of accessing a computer system for audio and video surveillance without authority.
Ford made his first appearance in court on Wednesday at 1 p.m.
Prosecutors said they are filing a motion for pretrial detention on Wednesday afternoon. Another hearing has been set for Thursday morning. Ford is ordered to have no contact with the victim. Bond for each of the surveillance-related charges has been set at $1,000 each for $10,000. Bond for the battery and cyberstalking charges will be set at Thursday's hearing.
Douglas Ford made his first appearance in Osceola County court on July 10, 2024.
The Osceola County Sheriff's Office issued the following statement regarding his arrest:
"It is always a very unfortunate situation to have to arrest a law enforcement officer. At the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, we hold our deputies to the highest ethical standards, and we will not tolerate anyone breaking the law within our ranks."
Douglas Ford (Photo: Osceola County Sheriff's Office)
No other details about his arrest were immediately made available. This is a developing story.