11-18-2009, 11:43 AM
Sergeant was falsely accused, investigator say
By TONY HOLT | Hernando Today
Published: November 17, 2009
BROOKSVILLE - Sgt. Jeff Kraft said he thought something was "fishy" about Misty Chavez.
Less than a month later, she would accuse him of acting unprofessionally toward her and verbally abusing her.
This week, the Hernando County Sheriff's Office determined those charges were unfounded.
Chavez had been married to her husband for less than two months before she accused him of raping her, according to an Internal Affairs investigation. She told the investigator they met off the Internet.
Chavez filed a restraining order. When she was told by a domestic violence clerk the house belonged to her husband and she could not occupy it, she became irate, authorities said.
She jumped up and down and threw papers off the clerk's desk, according to the IA report. Eventually she insisted on going back to her husband, the investigator stated.
On the date of the incident — Sept. 27 — Kraft and another sergeant were called for assistance in the interview room. They were asked to calm Chavez down and explain the situation to her.
During Kraft's interaction with Chavez, he became suspicious. He thought her restraining order was a false report, but "he didn't have sufficient probable cause to charge her," stated Sgt. Kathleen Reid, the IA investigator.
Chavez wanted her husband's house, Kraft thought. When the husband showed up at the sheriff's office later, Kraft spoke to him and warned him, according to Reid's report.
Weeks later, Chavez accused Kraft of verbally abusing her and he was investigated for conduct unbecoming.
Reid's report concluded Chavez did not act inappropriately. No action was taken against the 19-year veteran of the sheriff's office.
Chavez told Reid the sergeant was "less than professional" when he spoke to her and cursed several times, according to the report.
"She felt she should have been treated with more compassion," Reid wrote.
The domestic violence clerk and the other sergeant both testified Kraft did not use abusive language and acted professionally.
The former said Kraft did raise his voice to her, but only because Chavez was "screaming at him," Reid stated.
By TONY HOLT | Hernando Today
Published: November 17, 2009
BROOKSVILLE - Sgt. Jeff Kraft said he thought something was "fishy" about Misty Chavez.
Less than a month later, she would accuse him of acting unprofessionally toward her and verbally abusing her.
This week, the Hernando County Sheriff's Office determined those charges were unfounded.
Chavez had been married to her husband for less than two months before she accused him of raping her, according to an Internal Affairs investigation. She told the investigator they met off the Internet.
Chavez filed a restraining order. When she was told by a domestic violence clerk the house belonged to her husband and she could not occupy it, she became irate, authorities said.
She jumped up and down and threw papers off the clerk's desk, according to the IA report. Eventually she insisted on going back to her husband, the investigator stated.
On the date of the incident — Sept. 27 — Kraft and another sergeant were called for assistance in the interview room. They were asked to calm Chavez down and explain the situation to her.
During Kraft's interaction with Chavez, he became suspicious. He thought her restraining order was a false report, but "he didn't have sufficient probable cause to charge her," stated Sgt. Kathleen Reid, the IA investigator.
Chavez wanted her husband's house, Kraft thought. When the husband showed up at the sheriff's office later, Kraft spoke to him and warned him, according to Reid's report.
Weeks later, Chavez accused Kraft of verbally abusing her and he was investigated for conduct unbecoming.
Reid's report concluded Chavez did not act inappropriately. No action was taken against the 19-year veteran of the sheriff's office.
Chavez told Reid the sergeant was "less than professional" when he spoke to her and cursed several times, according to the report.
"She felt she should have been treated with more compassion," Reid wrote.
The domestic violence clerk and the other sergeant both testified Kraft did not use abusive language and acted professionally.
The former said Kraft did raise his voice to her, but only because Chavez was "screaming at him," Reid stated.