Columbia County Deputy arrested, accused of stealing cash while on service call

On July 31, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) headquartered in Lake City, Florida, announced that one of their own had to be taken into custody after being accused of stealing some cash out of a resident’s vehicle while on an official duty call.    

According to the sheriff’s office, in the early morning hours of July 30, a citizen complaint was received alleging that a CCSO deputy had stolen money from a vehicle during a call for service. CCSO supervisors immediately began looking into the complaint. During that process, it was determined that criminal conduct had possibly occurred involving the deputy.

CCSO Sheriff Mark Hunter requested the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) to conduct a criminal investigation.  The outcome of that investigation resulted in the arrest of 50-year-old CCSO Deputy Ruslan Lipelis of Lake City.  Lipelis has been placed on administrative leave pending the conclusion of an internal investigation.

Sheriff Mark Hunter stated, “We hold our employees to the highest standards of professional conduct. There is no tolerance for this behavior, and we will act swiftly to hold those accountable who violate public trust.

While I am extremely disappointed in the actions of this individual, I am proud of our employees who work each day to serve our community with integrity.”

Sheriff Hunter and FDLE will conduct a joint press conference about this incident later today, Monday, August 2, at 1 p.m.  The conference will be held at the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Operations Center.

(Source: CCSO)

Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today   /   Follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter