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Former Orange County deputy convicted of sexually abusing boy

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A former Orange County deputy will spend the rest of his life in prison after he was convicted of sexually abusing a teenage boy.

Louis Mercado’s case has been playing out for the last seven years.

Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said members of law enforcement are not above the law.

“I’m glad that this individual will no longer be wearing a gun and badge,” he said.

Mercado was convicted Thursday night of having sex with a young boy.

In 2008, a man came forward saying that Mercado had sexually abused him while the then-young boy visited him at his home in 1992.

Mercado was a school resource officer when he met the child.

The man claimed he had been abused up until he was a teenager.

“This guy is right where he needs to be after his conviction. As law enforcement officers or former law enforcement officers we are not above the law,” said Demings.

The case dragged on for seven years.

In 2011, Mercado stood trial for three counts of sexual battery.

He was acquitted on two counts, then there was a mistrial in the third charge because his attorney successfully argued misconduct by the prosecutors.

Then there was another problem: A judge ruled there could be no new trial.

The former deputy lost his job for not answering questions in his internal investigation.

After the mistrial, he sued for his job back but didn’t get it.

“We absolutely believe that the decisions we made in the past were the right decisions. We supported the prosecution,” Demings said.

Mercado’s attorney did not say if there are any plans for an appeal.

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