Osceola County, FL - A Florida deputy has been fired and arrested on multiple felony charges for allegedly helping a child sex suspect evade law enforcement officers.
According to the Osceola County Sheriff's Office, Deputy Arturo Dominguez has been terminated from his position and taken into custody after allegations that he aided a child sex suspect in evading the law.
The suspect, Omar Ayala, a 36-year-old high school teacher and coach accused of engaging in sexual activity with a minor, reportedly received assistance from Dominguez, who utilized law enforcement databases to facilitate his actions.
Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez announced in a press conference on Thursday that Dominguez faces four felony charges in connection with his alleged involvement.
The arrest and firing of Dominguez comes after an investigation was initiated by a detective from the Okeechobee County Sheriff's Office who filed a complaint against the deputy after discovering discrepancies in his responses while questioning him about Ayala.
The Okeechobee detective, who had issued an arrest warrant for Ayala, noticed that Dominguez had repeatedly accessed the suspect's name in the law enforcement database.
Suspecting that the deputy might have made contact with the wanted individual, the detective inquired about their interaction.
Dominguez provided false information, claiming that he ran Ayala's name because he had pulled him over during a traffic stop, an assertion that Sheriff Lopez deemed a "flat-out lie."
Further investigation revealed that Dominguez and Ayala were childhood friends.
Dominguez admitted to running Ayala's name in order to determine if there were any warrants for his arrest, with the intention of giving Ayala a warning if the police were searching for him.
Sheriff Lopez expressed his disgust at Dominguez's actions, emphasizing that law enforcement officers are meant to protect and serve, not aid and abet criminals, especially in cases involving crimes against children.
Dominguez is facing charges of unauthorized access to a computer device, official misconduct by obstructing an investigation, disclosure or use of confidential criminal justice information, and accessory after the fact to unlawful sex activity with a minor.
Despite the arrest of Dominguez, the search for Ayala continues.
At the time of Thursday's press conference, it was believed that Ayala was not in Osceola County.
Authorities are providing resources to aid in his apprehension, but it's suspected that he may have fled out of state.
The U.S. Marshals Service has been called in to assist in the search due to the severity of the charges against Ayala.