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Daniels pleads not guilty to one felony, three misdemeanor charges

Suspended sheriff new in court on Oct. 20

By Don Coble don@opcfla.com
Posted 8/26/20

GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Suspended Clay County Sheriff Darryl Daniels entered a plea of not guilty Wednesday to one third degree felony count of destroying evidence and three misdemeanor charges of …

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Daniels pleads not guilty to one felony, three misdemeanor charges

Suspended sheriff new in court on Oct. 20


Posted

GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Suspended Clay County Sheriff Darryl Daniels entered a plea of not guilty Wednesday to one third degree felony count of destroying evidence and three misdemeanor charges of knowingly giving false information of a crime.

Daniels was arraigned on the charges through a ZOOM call with Judge Michael Sharrit. Daniels’ attorney, Camille Sheppard, delivered the pleas. Daniels wasn’t the call.

Daniels was offered a deal on Aug. 12 from Ocala State Attorney Brad King to resign from office and withdraw from the sheriff’s race or face charges related to a sexual affair he had with a former subordinate when he worked at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Jail.

Daniels turned himself in on Aug. 14. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended him a day later and on Aug. 16 DeSantis appointed Matt Walsh of the Jacksonville Florida Department of Law Enforcement office to serve as the interim sheriff.

Daniels is expected back into court on Oct. 20 for a pretrial hearing.

On Aug. 18, Michelle Cook won the Republican Party primary, beating Daniels by 3,121 votes. She’s expected to be sworn in on Jan. 5, but DeSantis could act to put her in office at any time.

Daniels admitted he had an affair with Cierra Smith when they worked at the Jacksonville jail. The affair reportedly lasted six years.

Daniels asked to meet Smith in an Oakleaf parking lot after Daniels told his wife of the affair. When Smith arrived, Daniels demanded Smith be arrested for stalking.

Smith was briefly detained, but released without charges.

FDLE was asked to investigate. The agency determined Daniels had information on his cellphone involving the affair had been erased or destroyed.