Ex-Windermere police Chief Daniel Saylor accepted a plea bargain in which charges against him will be dropped and his law enforcement certification will be relinquished.
Saylor pled to two counts of official misconduct, solicitation to commit official misconduct, and tampering with evidence. The most serious charges against him, bribery and unlawful compensation for official behavior, were dropped. The State Attorney's Office released a statement stating the charges were dropped due to the difficulty of finding proof under circumstances.
"I apologize to everyone, if in any way I misled you or let down your trust as a law enforcement officer. We are paid to protect and serve you and somewhere I let that down. I take responsibility for it," Saylor said in court Thursday afternoon.
He asked the court for mercy and to consider his daughter's needs. Saylor is a single parent with family members who live nearby.
His attorney Mark Nejame asked the judge to consider placing Saylor on probation with psychological counseling. He also said Saylor, if he cannot find meaningful work, should receive "lots of community service."
"He's a first time offender and possibly the most decorated police chief in Orange County," said Nejame, who also described Saylor as "sloppy and negligent and looking the other way on infractions."
Saylor has been unable to find work related to law enforcement and felt, with felony convictions on his record now, he would be hard pressed to find private security work.
Stemming from a scandal that took place last January in the town of Windermere, Saylor was accused of stopping a child-sex investigation because it involved his friend Scott Bush. He was arrested January 12 on charges of giving unlawful compensation for official behavior and official misconduct.
Bush was arrested in January and charged with sexual battery on a child younger than 12. During that time records were destroyed and bribes were given.
Saylor, 44, could face up to 20 years in jail under Florida sentencing statutes.
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