A former Pasco County Sheriff's Office corporal was arrested Friday afternoon after a minor who had been in his custodial care came forward with allegations of sexual abuse spanning an extended period. Donald Valverde, 40, was taken into custody at approximately 3:30 p.m. and now faces a charge of unlawful sexual activity with a minor along with two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation.
Sheriff Chris Nocco announced the arrest during a press conference Friday, telling reporters that deputies began investigating after the victim, who is under 18, came forward within the past week. According to FOX 13 News, Nocco praised the teen for showing remarkable bravery in reporting the alleged conduct, which had reportedly gone on over a lengthy period of time. Valverde was known to the victim and had a custodial relationship with them at the time of the alleged abuse, per the same account.
Nocco did not mince words describing the former corporal, calling him “devious and evil” during the announcement, as reported by WTSP. The sheriff also appealed to the public, urging any additional potential victims to come forward as the investigation continues.
A Deputy With a Troubled Internal History
Valverde had worked for the sheriff's office since January 2015, spending time in the patrol division before being transferred to a logistical division within the department. The station's report notes he was fired following his arrest, ending an 11-year career that Nocco himself characterized bluntly.
“He was not a stellar deputy,” Nocco said, according to the same station's account, adding that Valverde had previously been investigated for domestic situations. Those earlier claims, however, could not be substantiated, and officials have not disclosed further details about them. Nocco explained that department rules and state statutes prevented Valverde's earlier termination because the prior allegations couldn't be proven — a limitation shaped by Florida's Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights, codified under Florida Statute § 112.532, which sets strict interrogation and due-process protections for officers facing internal investigations.
What the Charges Could Mean
Authorities have not specified the exact timeline of the alleged acts, and the victim's identity has not been released. Under Florida Statute § 794.05, unlawful sexual activity with a minor by an adult 24 or older is a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison and mandatory sex offender registration, with the law explicitly barring consent or ignorance of the victim's age as a defense.
The lewd and lascivious molestation counts carry even steeper stakes. Depending on the victim's age, that charge under Florida Statute § 800.04 can rise to a life felony carrying a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, according to the Florida Senate's statutory text. Separately, under Florida Statute § 943.1395, the Florida Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission is required to revoke a law enforcement officer's certification upon a guilty plea, conviction, or finding of a moral character violation tied to a felony sex offense — a step that would permanently bar Valverde from ever serving as a sworn officer in the state again.
A Department in Transition
The arrest lands amid a period of upheaval at the Pasco County Sheriff's Office. Nocco, who has led the agency since being appointed by then-Governor Rick Scott in 2011, announced in May that he plans to resign in November to run for Florida Senate District 21. The office currently employs roughly 1,233 sworn members across three operational districts headquartered in New Port Richey, serving Florida's seventh most populous county.
Valverde's arrest also follows other recent misconduct cases inside the department. Hoodline reported in April on a Pasco deputy accused of deleting Snapchat records while being questioned about sending a photo of a deceased person to a 13-year-old student. The current case remains under investigation, and no additional details about the earlier domestic-situation allegations against Valverde have been made public.
