A Central Florida deputy recently resigned following his arrest for stealing cash during a traffic stop.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office’s traffic enforcement deputy resigned after being arrested for petty theft. If he had not resigned, his employment with the agency would have been terminated, according to the Sheriff.
Following the initial investigation, Justin Register, 28, was arrested and charged with petit theft. The theft was reported by two other PCSO deputies who were assisting Register with a traffic stop.
“I am disgusted by Justin Register’s dishonest behavior,” said Sheriff Grady Judd. “We are going to hold him accountable for his disgraceful actions, and he should never be trusted to work in law enforcement again. I am proud of the two other deputies who came forward to report what they discovered.”
The traffic stop occurred at Fort Meade, and the driver/victim was arrested by Register for driving without a valid license.
Deputies Joseph Leon and Vito Mineo responded to the traffic stop as backup. Deputy Leon noticed Register securing the driver’s wallet and phone in the trunk of his patrol car. A few times later, Deputy Leon noticed Register returning to the trunk.
The driver’s daughter arrived at the traffic stop, and he asked if she could take possession of his belongings. Deputy Leon then watched as Register returned to the trunk to recover the item and pulled $82 from the wallet, which he handed to the woman.
The driver claimed there should have been $300 more in the wallet. Deputies Leon and Mineo began searching the scene for the money. Deputy Leon discovered a paystub for the driver’s $400 check that had been cashed.
Deputy Leon observed Register returning to his patrol vehicle trunk. Register opened a rifle bag, removed folded cash, unfolded and flattened it, and remarked, “Oh, here it is!” Deputies Leon and Mineo informed their lieutenant about what had happened, and the inquiry began.
Sheriff Judd underlined that the investigation is ongoing and far from over. All of Register’s arrests and traffic stops will be reviewed. If anyone has information on Register’s conduct during any of his investigations, they should call the local administrative investigation section at 863-298-6506.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is collaborating with the 10th Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office to evaluate all of Register’s arrests that are currently being prosecuted. Justin Register was employed by the PCSO in May 2018.
