FWC officer disclosed confidential bulletin

[NewsHound]

From TBO.com

A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer was arrested today for informing a friend of a confidential officer safety bulletin that had been issued against him, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.

Stephen Judah, 28, of Winter Haven, was charged with one count of misuse of confidential information and one count of disclosure or use of confidential criminal justice information, the sheriff's office said.

In July, Judah called his friend and told him of the confidential law enforcement bulletin that had been distributed by the sheriff's office.

The bulletins are confidential and aren't available to the public. The release of this information could place an officer's life at risk, the sheriff's office said.

Judah's friend, who the sheriff's office didn't identify, later called the sheriff's office and asked that his name be rescinded from the bulletin.

The sheriff's office had received a call from a neighbor concerned about Judah's friend, who had guns. Judah's friend had acknowledged to investigators that he lives in a rural area and has had an ongoing problem with neighbors because his son shoots a .22 caliber pistol in the backyard.

During the investigation, the sheriff's office learned that Judah's friend had pleaded guilty to two counts of grand theft and had been placed on probation in 1994. Investigators also learned that the state had not restored his civil rights, meaning he isn't allowed to "own, possess, use or receive firearms of any kind," the sheriff's office said.

Nice. Way to be somebody.

FWC Officer found not guilty in Jury trial, got his job back and back pay. What is sad it FWC fired him after department's investigation found him guilty of criminal charges. I guess FWC is judge and jury. Way to look after one of your own.

The Polk Sheriff's office did one of the poorest investigations and only brought charges when they could arrest a cop and Grady Judd can get his face on TV.