GILCHRIST COUNTY, Fla. – An FDLE investigation led to the arrest of Trent Kellee Freeman, 38, of Bronson, on two counts of uttering a forged instrument and one count of scheme to defraud. Freeman formerly worked as a detective for the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO).
The investigation began when GCSO noticed some irregularities in Freeman’s medical leave filings and requested for FDLE to investigate. FDLE agents discovered that Freeman filed multiple sets of fraudulent Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) paperwork, forging the signatures of area doctors to support her false claims of extensive hospitalization for severe COVID-19 and other medical issues.
The investigation found that Freeman fraudulently solicited and received hundreds of donated sick leave hours from her colleagues, defrauding GCSO of approximately $3,727. Investigators found that, rather than being comatose in the hospital as she claimed, Freeman had in fact started working at a full-time private-sector non-law-enforcement job early in her scheme, one which she applied for prior to the filing of the initial fraudulent FMLA paperwork.
“We believe in accountability at the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office, which is why we brought this case to FDLE,” said Gilchrist County Sheriff Bobby Schultz. “No matter the circumstances or situation, we will strive to make sure our employees do the right thing at all times. This is an unfortunate situation, but this in no way represents the men and women as a whole who work at the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office.”
Freeman turned herself into authorities today pursuant to the FDLE warrant and was booked into the Levy County Jail on a $50,000 bond. The case will be prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney, Eighth Judicial Circuit.
