Ex-Deputy Gets Probation for Jail House Sex With Inmate

http://www.theledger.com/article/200812 ... n_Sex_Case (http://www.theledger.com/article/20081211/NEWS/812110369/1134?Title=Ex_Jail_Deputy_Gets_Probation_in_Sex_Ca se)


Ex-Jail Deputy Gets Probation in Sex Case

By Gary White
THE LEDGER

Published: Thursday, December 11, 2008 at 7:50 p.m.

BARTOW | A former Polk County Jail detention deputy will serve no further time for having sex with an inmate.

Circuit Judge Donald Jacobsen adjudicated Donald Kurns Jr. guilty Thursday morning and sentenced him to five years of probation. Prosecutor Brad Copley had sought a three-year prison sentence.

Kurns, 40, also must surrender his law-enforcement certification. The crime does not require him to register as a sex offender.

Kurns was arrested May 2 on charges that he had a one-time sexual encounter with a 30-year-old female inmate in a bathroom at the Polk County Jail. He resigned in May after 14 years as a detention deputy.

Prosecutors originally charged Kurns with sexual battery, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. Kurns accepted a plea deal in October, pleading no contest to a reduced charge of sexual misconduct, a third-degree felony.

Jacobsen could have sentenced Kurns to as much as five years in prison.

The sexual incident occurred in April, according to an arrest report. Kurns told investigators that the sex was consensual, the report said, but the inmate said she felt pressured to have sex in order to retain "trusty" status. That status, available to inmates charged with misdemeanors who exhibit good behavior, can lead to early release.

Even consensual sex with an inmate would violate Polk County Sheriff's Office guidelines.

[ Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or at 863-802-7518. ]

This story appeared in print on page B1

Probably the only person the hillbilly could get :devil:

Why is it the cops in Polk county only get a slap on the wrist when they commit crimes?

Because they are too busy dealing with the real cop criminals from your county.

Because they are too busy dealing with the real cop criminals from your county.

I seriously doubt that. Why don't you takes notes from deputies and detectives from other Central Florida agencies who actually run 20-25 REAL calls a shift; who typically have 6-8 reports a night that have to be completed and supervisor approved by the end of the shift. Now THAT takes dedication, patience, and a lot of work.

Sounds like PCSO needs to fire a $%^* load of people and restructure the organization so that it'll work. As well as spend the budget on a good working version of Tiburon...I bet you guys have squirrels running around in circles inside your computers...sounds like you need a new IT department too. Just a friendly suggestion :)

Because they are too busy dealing with the real cop criminals from your county.

I seriously doubt that. Why don't you takes notes from deputies and detectives from other Central Florida agencies who actually run 20-25 REAL calls a shift; who typically have 6-8 reports a night that have to be completed and supervisor approved by the end of the shift. Now THAT takes dedication, patience, and a lot of work.

Sounds like PCSO needs to fire a $%^* load of people and restructure the organization so that it'll work. As well as spend the budget on a good working version of Tiburon...I bet you guys have squirrels running around in circles inside your computers...sounds like you need a new IT department too. Just a friendly suggestion :)

Are you for real, the deputies of Polk County run their asses off nightly. Hey Einstein have you ever looked at how big Polk County is, it dwarfs any county in Central Florida. I would also like to know what your "Real Calls" are, but since you don't work at PCSO you don't know what we do. We are hiring if you would like to come get trained by a real cop. Until then stay away....................

Why is it the cops in Polk county only get a slap on the wrist when they commit crimes?


Because their leaders are even more corrupt and afraid of being outed when they punish their buddies.

Why is it the cops in Polk county only get a slap on the wrist when they commit crimes?


Because their leaders are even more corrupt and afraid of being outed when they punish their buddies.

Hay, we got two ex deputies sitting in an iso cell rite now.

Dont jump all over me, but from the outside looking in, what "crime" did he commit? what was he charged with ? Its obvious he your violated agency policy, but what was he charged with, offending Sheriff Judd ?

A guard who has sex with an inmate is automatically guilty of Sexual Battery per Florida statutes.

The Ledger article is misleading by making it appear as if the inmate's consent would not
make it a crime, only a violation of PCSO policy. In fact it is a felony regardless of the
inmate's consent.

The guard got a gift from the prosecution when it agreed to drop the Sexual Battery charge.
I guess the Florida legislature never actually meant for these laws to be used against
correctional officers -- they must be there just for the show.