A Florida detention deputy has been arrested and dismissed after a security investigation allegedly uncovered screenshots of partially nude female inmates on an agency computer, along with restricted case information and evidence of unauthorised access to staff accounts.
Douglas Chirinos, who joined the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office in 2025, was taken into custody on Monday, 26 October, following an investigation that began when the department’s IT team detected a possible breach on Friday, 23 October.
Investigators said Chirinos had downloaded programmes on to a shared agency computer, contrary to departmental policy. A subsequent review allegedly found screenshots taken from detention-centre surveillance cameras showing partially nude inmates.
Some of the images also contained details from criminal cases that Chirinos was not authorised to view, according to the sheriff’s office. Investigators further alleged that he had bypassed security measures and accessed the user accounts of other employees.
DeSoto County deputy faces computer access charge
Chirinos was booked into the DeSoto County Jail on a third-degree felony allegation involving unauthorised access to computers, computer systems, networks and electronic devices, or access beyond the permission granted to him.
The sheriff’s office said his employment had been terminated. He is accused of wrongdoing and has not been convicted.
Sheriff James Potter said he was “extremely disturbed” by what the IT department had discovered on the shared computer, describing the conduct as unacceptable.
Detectives have identified the alleged victims and are notifying them, the sheriff’s office said. Authorities have not said how many inmates may have been affected or how long the alleged access had been taking place.
The investigation remains ongoing.
