HomeCrimeGovernor DeSantis assigns investigation of former Sheriff Watson’s administration to 3rd Judicial Circuit

Governor DeSantis assigns investigation of former Sheriff Watson’s administration to 3rd Judicial Circuit

June 7, 2024
Sheriff Clovis Watson, Jr.

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 24-105 on June 4, assigning an existing Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) investigation into the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office to the 3rd Judicial Circuit because 8th Judicial Circuit State Attorney Brian Kramer declared a conflict of interest in the case.

The Executive Order requests that 3rd Judicial Circuit State Attorney John Durrett send one or more Assistant State Attorneys and Investigators to the 8th Judicial Circuit for one year to investigate and prosecute the case.

According to the Executive Order, Kramer advised the Governor that he has a conflict of interest because he has endorsed Sheriff Emery Gainey in the upcoming election.

“A number” of subpoenas were issued to ASO employees on April 13, 2023, but the target of the investigation is unknown. Sheriff Gainey was appointed on September 7, 2023, after Sheriff Clovis Watson, Jr., resigned on August 1 for health reasons.

FDLE Public Information Officer Dana Kelly told Alachua Chronicle that the investigation was initiated before Sheriff Gainey was appointed.

Kramer also confirmed that the existing investigation, which was initiated some time before the subpoenas were issued in April 2023, is the one he withdrew from.

Gainey told Alachua Chronicle, “We were made aware today, for the first time, that the case the State Attorney and FDLE have been investigating since 2023 was transferred to the 3rd Judicial Circuit. The investigation involves the former administration under former Sheriff Watson and has nothing to do with my administration.”

  • Why does this feel like Republicans doing to Democrats what Democrats are doing to Trump?

    • Big difference is Clovis and his cronies are corrupt and have been for some time. All the way back to his city of Alachua days. Look at all the admin that fled before Gainey took over. Pandora ‘s Box is opening.

      • Dude, about 6-8 of Trump advisors and administration hands are – like him – convicted felons.

        Do the math.

        By the way, whatever the Democrats are “doing to Trump”, they are also doing to Hunter Biden and Sen Menendez. All the present independent counsels appointed by the AG are Republicans or Independents with no past political involvement, and some are Trump appointee holdovers.

        • Then I guess we are all happy till November. DEMs started this. Conservatives will finish.

        • Plus if the investigation is correctly done there would be several of Watsons amigos jailed too.

          • You should be the first of the Amigos to be incarcerated since you are such an expert on any subject or matter that has evolved on the chronicles Bear9765. Show your hands and Face and step to the podium so everyone will know Bear9765.

      • You are the ringleader of corruptness Beat9765. Take your mask and clown suit off because you have so much to say about every topic but you do it as a coward. If you can’t come clean and show your hands and face, everything you say is obsolete.What is in your perfect closet that may be contaminated or may have black toxic mold that should have been thrown out years ago. It seems you are Hitler cousin or the Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan.

    • Nope…not feeling it Blower.

      You break the law you should be subject to investigation, prosecution, and punishment regardless who you are.

    • Reap what you sow if so! I hope republicans start treating leftists the exact same way leftists treat republicans!

  • This investigation should in no way have any bearing on the great job Sheriff Gainey has and continues to do.

    • There is no man perfect but God. This man is not exempt either. Apparently he didn’t do a great job at home or with his granddaughter for her to threaten to shoot up a school. Charity begins at home and then it spreads abroad. Interview the wife and see how this great man treats his family before you start praising him for his greatness at the Sheriff office. There are many employees that are long term that are dissatisfied with what this man has done internally since he came on board as interim sheriff. You have to live or work in a house to know what happens internally before you speak to quickly. The covers are coming off all these hypocrites.

  • So, is Watson really experiencing health related issues or is he sick due to what this subpoena is going to expose? DeSantis and Gainey need to both scream from atop of the Seagle building that this is about corruption from the previous administration and not the new appointed administration. It’s too close to November to fool voters into thinking that this investigation is focused on Gainey and not the last admin. So, what did Watson and his cronies do to subject themselves to these potential incriminating charges? Can’t wait to see.

    • Where was Kramer? Cervone-like in see no evil nor hear no evil despite it staring you in the face?

      • Did you read the article? Kramer originally had jurisdiction over the prosecution, but he declared a conflict of interest, and the gov reassigned it. It’s an FDLE investigation.

  • Fortunately for the citizens of Alachua county that slimy 🐀 Watson and his administrative puppets are (mostly) cleared out of ACSO. I pray he faces the justice he deserves one day.

    • Angry Bird, there was slime in Crevasse, Lou Hindery, Ohelrich and Sadie Darnell Administration. Why are you referring to Watson as slime. Is it because you are a racist S.O.B.? It is something said about Black males irregardless of what they do. Whom are you to judge. Who cares about you being an angry Bird. Go bury yourself in a gopher hole until you make yourself happy. Are you praying this same prayer for Donald Trump? Did you pray this prayed for Nixon and Bill Clinton. Hell no, because they were all white which you thought this made them right. For Black males it is dam if you do and dam if you don’t.

  • Support Sheriff Gainey in his election campaign. Remember those other candidates are from the Clovis Watson Camp. Just saying…..

    • Why should anyone support a robot that is programmed to do what he has been programmed to do?

  • The corrupt DNC-ACLU-SPLC tentacles reached the local levels (or really vice versa) all across America. The swamp starts in the most murky shorelines. 👿💩👺👹🤡

    • Yeah , except Watson was a GOP tool when he was in the City of Alachua. Look it up.

      Like Trump, he has no principles, only ambition.

      • He only switched to get votes. Everyone knows that’s. It’s no big secret that his tender in Alachua was slimy. There is a huge difference between Sheriff Gainey and Ex Sheriff Watson. And it starts with Gainey having integrity and Watson having well… None.

        • Yes, the democrats really messed up electing Watson. To bad they excluded republicans or we would probably still have Sadie.

        • Domestic violence and child abuse don’t have integrity Bear9765.

      • Liberals are chameleons. Trump only switched parties because he was a NY resident, had to do it for his employees.

  • You would be hard-pressed to find any shenanigans in Gaineys camp.
    The guy is as professional & organized as anyone if not more given his years in LEO with the State.
    Must be why two sitting Governor’s chose Gainey to fill vacant Sheriffs positions on short notice.
    GAINEY FOR GOVERNOR 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲

    • Yeah obviously don’t know much about the internals of that agency as it sits right now.. Tyrants at the Captain level, Tyrant at the Major level. Unqualified Lieutenants and those number of “new hires” only a small percentage are making it through field training. The combined communications center is suffering from mandated hours, bullying from the top down (still). It’s slightly better than Clovis mediocre reign, but many of his supporters are currently supporting Gainey including Gainey himself. Let’s not forget he donated to Clovis’s campaign as well. Birds of a feather flock together, they may not appear the same to you and me but they usually live in the same tree. 🤷🏻‍♂️

    • Why do you think Gainey is dancing to every tap from any drum? Reason: Gainey has many shenanigans in his camp that he knows the drummers in the drum line can reveal.

  • The featured photo of this article is a disgrace to law enforcement.

    • What about all the employees at ASO that had child pornography on their computers and the white deputies that were picking a young girl up from middle school to engage in sexual activities with him? This investigation should of began under Darnell administration. This Racism needs to stop.

  • Of course, since the GOP took over state government, we’re used to having all our decisions in Alachua County made by rednecks.

    Hey, my Fl House Rep is in McClenny, and I live 9 miles from University and Main.!

    • That’s actually funny. Until term limits came in, North Florida was entirely governed by blue dog Democrats. They didn’t have any time for the socialists in Gainesville either.

    • Welcome to north Central Florida. If you dont like rednecks take your sissyboy butt and move to Orlando. Or move north to a blue state and big city where maybe rednecks are not so popular. You cant help yourself can you Jazzy or should I say Eastman?

      • We appreciate our neighbors. However We don’t like Tallahassee taking away our home rule nor ruining our once premier University over presidential ambitions and attention seeking politics.

      • I’ve been here longer than you and work in construction and before that farming. KMA

    • If the stupidity you typed were remotely true, the reprobates in county and city government wouldn’t be infested with left wing 🗑️!

  • Looks like duhsantis has already convicted Watson. His executive order States to investigate and prosecute. Not saying Watson is innocent but shouldn’t the investigation conclude before you start saying you’re going to prosecute somebody. Should have kept Sadie Darnell.

    • It’s nothing but a change of judicial circuit. The case was previously under Kramer, and now it’s under Durrett. The investigation by FDLE was already underway. The State Attorney’s Office always has the responsibility to investigate any charges that are brought forward by law enforcement to decide whether to prosecute.

  • Gainey is the best thing to happen to ASO in over a decade. An absolutely great person, leader, and manager. Watson is a corrupt garbage of a human being. I hope Alachua County gets justice for what Watson has done. Watson deliberately stonewalled and put up red tape for his own cops and other law enforcement agencies from conducting enforcement and investigations into criminal activity. Watson was not a cop, he is anti-cop.

  • Come on all. You scream corruption. Where are your facts? What do you know or you think you know? Tell all please….ill hold my breath.

    • Court documents, live testimony in court, and the statements obtained during depositions will lay it all out for you when the time comes.

    • There have been complaints going back to his Alachua days. I don’t know if it’s all valid or what. Let the DA figure it out.

  • We really must get this DeSantis monster out the seat. I honestly don’t see how he keeps getting voted in. We must encourage more young people to vote because these old you know what’s love his unfair antics. He has to go. SMH

    • A governor is required to move a case to another judicial circuit if a State Attorney declares a conflict of interest, and that’s all this is. It’s completely routine and has nothing to do with politics. Read through the gov’s executive orders and see how often this happens (hint: a lot).

      • I just wonder what Kramer’s “conflict” is or could be? Are judges and public lawyers here involved in Watson’s alleged misdeeds?

        • He donated and/or endorsed Watson for sheriff I believe. The thing with Gainey’s makes sense. The Sheriff did the right thing backing his deputies that made the arrest. It should go to a different state attorney to ensure a fair sound court process. That way no one is accused within the county of favoritism or prejudice.

          • From the article: “According to the Executive Order, Kramer advised the Governor that he has a conflict of interest because he has endorsed Sheriff Emery Gainey in the upcoming election.”

          • Since the conflict was endorsing Gainey, wouldn’t that imply that one of Gainey’s opponents in the Sheriff’s race is a target of the investigation? It seems like Chad Scott is the most likely opponent to be caught up in this FDLE investigation.

          • Scott was canned by Sadie Darnell for double dipping. He was charged with four felonies and 4 misdemeanors. That was in 2007. The state attorney office decided not to go through with charges since Scott made restitution. All the records and evidence were destroyed. Then Joel Decoursey hired him at the Alachua Police Department. When Decoursey retired Scott became the police chief and when Watson was elected Sheriff he brought Scott in and within month Scott was a flunky Colonel for Watson. Watson also made Decoursey second in command at ASO. Watson flees the sheriffs office. So Scott I guess not in agreement with the current Sheriff decides to throw his hat into the sheriff’s race. Scott would instill the same crap that Watson was doing. And eventually hire back those that fled when Sheriff Gainey took over. All this crap has a common denominator and that is Clovis Watson and his shady and probably criminal past. Why would any agency hire a guy that was found guilty in a IA investigation of stealing, then charged and mysteriously the charges are dropped and records are destroyed? Sound familiar when the city Alachua records were burned and certain documents pertaining to Watson’s crap were destroyed? Maybe between FDLE investigating Watson and now currently investigating the city of Alachua and the police department on another matter it will clear up some corruption.

          • I see Governor Desantis just terminated two FDLE employees in high ranking positions. Maybe he has the wrong people investigating the sheriff department.

          • Thank you I knew I saw it I read it too quick. thank you again. My bad

    • The young knuckleheads who can’t understand loan and tuition documents? That’s working out so well for the United States right now isn’t it.
      You’re either one of those or just as naive or lazy as many of them are.

  • For those who came in late:

    Clovis Watson is easy to understand, as long as you know two things. Clovis only cares about two things.
    1. Clovis’s ego. He desires power and glorification for himself. Period. Clovis’s ego is so large Donald Trump takes Big Ego lessons from Clovis.
    2. Money. Money. Money. Lotsa money for himself.

    Notice what is not on the list. He does not give a rat’s arse about his family, any friends, or the public who pays his over bloated salary. He is a horrible “public servant” as the public is just suckers to be fleeced out of Money via paychecks.

    His resignation for “health reasons” is suspect. However, if this investigation shows wrongdoing by him and he was then forced to resign, it would be the ultimate deflation of his Big Ego. Resigning early is an attempt to save face because even though his ego is huge, it is fragile and Clovie is very insecure about it.

    • True. I’ve never seen a sheriff who avoided wearing the sheriff’s uniform as much as he did. Add to that the “special” vehicle he got for himself and it was easy to see that he felt he was “better” than the law.

    • Money money money? What does that even mean? Did he steal? Where did he hide it? How do you know? I’ve only heard good things about him but maybe I’m just a dumb voter. Politics is tough.

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