An Orange County Sheriff's Office deputy has been pulled off the street after being arrested on a charge of soliciting for prostitution. Deputy Eric Raymond, a six-year veteran of the agency's Uniform Patrol Division, was taken into custody Sunday by the Polk County Sheriff's Office, according to OCSO.
Raymond was hired by the Orange County Sheriff's Office in August 2020, as reported by WESH 2 News. Following his arrest, the agency relieved him of all law-enforcement duties and reassigned him to administrative work while the criminal case moves forward, according to wftv.com.
Internal Review Awaits Case Outcome
Per the same account, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said it will open its own internal investigation once the criminal case against Raymond concludes, and that the findings of that review will be made public once it wraps up. Sheriff John Mina addressed the arrest directly, saying the agency is committed to ensuring that those who serve the community as deputies follow the laws they are sworn to uphold.
The arrest has not been tied to any broader operation, and the agency has not released an arrest affidavit, booking details or a court date for Raymond's case.
What Florida Law Says About Solicitation Charges
Under Florida law, soliciting, inducing, enticing or procuring another person to commit prostitution, lewdness or assignation is addressed in Florida Statutes section 796.07, which classifies a first violation as a first-degree misdemeanor. A conviction under the statute also requires the offender to complete 100 hours of community service and attend an educational program if one exists in the judicial circuit where the case is handled.
Polk County, where Raymond's arrest took place, has been the site of large-scale enforcement efforts targeting prostitution and trafficking in recent months. The Polk County Sheriff's Office reported making 266 arrests during a multi-day joint-agency undercover operation focused on human trafficking, child predators and prostitution-related offenses, with 247 of those arrests tied specifically to prostitution and trafficking offenses. Of that total, 108 suspects were arrested for soliciting a prostitute and traveling to an undercover location to negotiate paying for sex.
Pattern Of Deputy Misconduct Cases
Raymond's arrest adds to a string of cases involving Orange County Sheriff's Office personnel facing off-duty allegations in recent years. Earlier this year, a separate Orange County Sheriff's Office deputy was arrested on a domestic violence charge, with the agency saying an investigation was underway at that time. In 2024, deputy Thomas Boggs, who also worked in uniform patrol, was taken off patrol following a DUI arrest.
For now, Raymond remains on administrative duty as the criminal case against him plays out. The Orange County Sheriff's Office has said it will not weigh in further on his status internally until that process concludes.
