LEE COUNTY, Fla. — One high ranking Lee County leader sent a letter to other county leaders late last month warning of potential financial risks in the Sheriff’s Office.
Lee County Clerk Kevin Karnes sent a letter to the County Manager, the County Attorney, the Chairman of the Lee County Board and representatives from the Sheriff’s Office.
His concerns come from allegations of fraud that were made public during the Sheriff’s re-election campaign this fall.
In the letter, Karnes wrote than an External Auditor has raised concerns with the financial statements of the Sheriff’s Office and the overall audit opinion of Lee County.
“I am compelled as County Comptroller to ensure the County Commissioners are notified of the financial risk(s) the county may face in the future. Despite the fact that these allegations maybe politically motivated or might not be able to be proven as true or false, I believe county leaders still have a duty to ensure the concerns of the External Auditor are addressed,” Karnes wrote.
The letter also states that county leadership and the Undersheriff expressed “passionate disagreements with most of the External Auditor’s perspective.”
Donald Day, an attorney representing Sheriff Carmine Marceno, said any reports of subpoenas or federal investigations are false.
“Not sure where this rumor is coming from. The Sheriff has not personally received any Subpoena. That rumor is a lie,” Day told Fox 4 in an email.
Karnes ended his letter by saying it’s not clear what will happen next.
He said he plans to follow up with a second letter to County Commissioners with more details on the financial risk if no action is taken on the concerns with the Sheriff’s office.
Karnes also said there was no immediate path forward on a possible county led independent investigation.
Fox 4 reached out to the Sheriff's Office about the allegations and they provided the following statement:
"As has been the case every year, all funds have been accounted for and all audits have determined the agency’s protocols more than sufficient."
