A rookie Monroe County sheriff’s deputy is out of a job and facing a felony charge after investigators say he treated law enforcement databases like his own personal search engine.
Deputies on Tuesday arrested 28-year-old Lamar Eliseo Roman on a count described as “misuse of law enforcement computers, computer networks and electronic devices,” according to the Miami Herald. A sheriff’s office news release said Roman “used law enforcement databases to look up information for personal reasons beyond the legal scope of his employment.”
The sheriff’s office said the arrest triggered his immediate firing and that the criminal investigation remains active. Booking photos and a detailed arrest report were not immediately available, and officials have not yet announced a court date.
Roman had been hired in May 2025 and was on the force for less than a year before his termination, according to reporting by Local 10. Sheriff Rick Ramsay said in the agency’s release that he is committed to keeping the community informed about major developments involving his deputies.
What the charge carries
Florida’s computer-crimes law makes it a crime to willfully access or exceed authorized access to certain computer systems. Unauthorized access is generally treated as a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison, and penalties can increase if the conduct causes significant harm or is tied to fraud. The Florida Senate notes the offense can be elevated to a second- or first-degree felony under aggravating circumstances.
A pattern the office has confronted
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office has seen this kind of allegation before. In 2024, a different deputy was arrested on dozens of counts accusing her of using official databases to help an alleged drug dealer, and she was later sentenced to more than three years in prison, Local 10 reported. Officials and prosecutors have said misuse of confidential systems can jeopardize investigations and officer safety because sensitive information is exposed to people who should not have it.
In Roman’s case, Monroe County spokesman Adam Linhardt said he is being held at the county jail on Stock Island while investigators continue their work. The Miami Herald reported that the sheriff’s office listed Roman’s annual salary as $74,474. The agency has not released additional personnel records or a full accounting of the database searches at issue.
