Former Martin County Police Officer Steven O’Leary was arrested in Leon County following a warrant out for his arrest. O’Leary has been charged with a multitude of charges including but not limited to tampering with evidence, falsifying statements, and misconduct.
O’Leary had been working at the Martin County Sheriff’s Office for less than a year when
he was fired in January following an internal investigation. During that time, investigators discovered that three drug-related arrests were made on falsified results
of an onsite drug test of the substances in question. O’Leary determined his tests came out positive for narcotics or illegal drugs which gave him probable cause to make an arrest. However, when the substances were tested again at a lab, they confirmed that no illegal drugs or narcotics were present. Now over 80 arrests that O’Leary made during the time of his employment are being re-investigated by the department.
Since the initial investigation, 20 people have come forward with a lawsuit against O’Leary and the Martin County Sheriff’s office for the unjust arrests. All of the 20 have had their cases dropped, but the impacts still linger. Many lost their jobs and had their reputation damaged as a result of O’Leary’s actions.
Keller, Melchiorre & Walsh handles all personal injury and criminal defense cases. If you or a loved one is in need of an attorney contact our office for a free consultation at (561) 295-5825.