The Lee County Sheriff’s Office announced today that effective immediately, Chief Charles Ferrante has been placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of an Internal Affairs Investigation.
Due to the active investigation, no further comment will be issued at this time, officials with the Sheriff’s Office said in a prepared statement.
Sheriff Mike Scott had announced Friday that Ferrante requested a meeting Monday morning to tender a letter of retirement effective April 18.
Ferrante has been with the agency for 20 years and is the second highest ranking official after Scott.
Ferrante’s brother, a Lee County Sheriff’s Office captain, resigned last Wednesday after an internal investigation reportedly showed the officer threatened another captain’s job, telling him to “prepare for retaliation.”
Capt. Dominick Ferrante, who was the commander of the special investigations division, resigned March 4. He has denied the allegation.