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Records: Orange Co. probation officer accused of battering woman admitted wrongdoing

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A 600-page personnel file reveals new details in the case of a former probation officer accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a woman he was supervising.

Marcellas Durham is accused of sexually battering the woman several times over the course of two years, but the State Attorney’s Office has not filed any charges yet.

An Orange County judge granted the woman a permanent injunction, citing sexual violence.

The case is still under investigation, but according to reports in Durham’s file with the Department of Corrections, he broke the law.

The file states that he was fired for violating state statute.

Durham’s dismissal letter stated, “While under investigation by the State Attorney’s Office, he admitted to the inappropriate relationship.”

It also said his actions were videotaped by the offender’s husband.

WFTV talked to the victim, who didn’t want to be identified.

She said she was afraid to come forward.

“He told me continuously that I owed him,” she said. “No one would ever believe me.”

Durham’s file said that during a meeting on the issue, Durham called the interaction consensual and said he’s “never been involved in this type of situation before.”

WFTV learned Durham had been in trouble several times at his job, including for testing positive for drugs.

He was also disciplined for not making required contact with 21 people on probation, and he failed to notify the court of two people who tested positive for drugs.

Durham’s record stated he didn’t report an offender he supervised had been arrested for drugs until after a judge had dropped the man’s case.

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