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Two Brevard County deputies are off the job after their names turned up in a prostitution investigation weeks after a deputy was shot in a prostitution bust, Sheriff Wayne Ivey said during a news conference Sunday morning.
Ivey said the former deputies are believed to have been clients of alleged prostitute Mary Derossett, whose uncle, John Derossett, is accused of shooting Deputy Casey Smith multiple times last month, leaving Smith in critical condition.
Deputies were in the process of investigating Mary Derossett, who is facing prostitution charges, when John Derossett allegedly shot Smith at a home on Corvina Street.
The sheriff said the prostitution bust was prompted by the robbery and murder of a citizen who was lured by a prostitute.
Ivey said evidence was found in Mary Derosett’s phone linking the fired deputies to her as clients.
“I’m absolutely disgusted and sickened by two people who took the oath of office to protect our citizens, violated their oath and, quite frankly, did everything they could to embarrass themselves and the great profession that we serve in,” Ivey said.
While the deputies have not been identified, Ivey said one is a 29-year-old with 22 months of service, while the other is a 56-year-old with 14 years of service.
“It’s my goal to dishonor them as much as possible. In fact, they dishonored themselves and I’m going to help them along the path,” said Ivey. “We wanted everybody to know that no one is exempt from the law and if you go out and do something like this we are going to work as hard as we can with our state attorney’s office to prosecute you.”
Ivey said the investigation has led to the arrest of 250 people in the last six weeks and there could be more in the coming weeks.
The two men are expected to face criminal charges.
“We are also following up with the FDLE to make sure their certifications are removed so that they can never work as law enforcement officers again,” Ivey said.
Smith continues to make progress as he slowly recuperates from the shooting.
