FRUITLAND PARK, Fla. — Prosecutors will not press charges against Fruitland Park's police chief, despite the findings of a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation.
The FDLE began looking into Mark Isom after Eyewitness News uncovered his two questionable college degrees last February. Those diplomas boosted Isom's salary, but the recently embattled police chief has since paid back the extra money.
Now, after two months, the FDLE has completed its investigation.
The City Manager of Fruitland Park believes the FDLE did not perform a thorough investigation but the agency says the report speaks for itself.
WFTV reporter Kenneth Moton knocked on his door and tracked around Fruitland Park's City Hall looking for Police Chief Mark Isom but he could not find him.
FDLE INVESTIGATIVE DOCUMENTS
DOCUMENT: FDLE Investigation Conclusion Report DOCUMENT: Chief Isom Interview Report DOCUMENT: Letter From State Attorney Brad King
The FDLE has been conducting an investigation into the chief since WFTV broke the story in February that he was receiving $80 per month in state money for his two fake college degrees.
Despite some damning evidence, Lake County State Attorney Brad King said it would take too much time and money to prosecute Isom for theft, and he was not confident that he could get a conviction in the case.
"You tried to tear down an individual and my integrity. I've done nothing wrong here," said Chief Isom as he choked back tears during an interview last February.
A tearful Chief Isom told Eyewitness News in February that he was scammed and he paid almost $7,000 for a bachelor's and master's degree from Youngsfield University. Youngsfield University is a degree mill which creates fake degrees for cash.
However, the FDLE investigation discovered that Isom made one $1,100 payment to the online university.
Chief Isom claims that he did six years of course work, but he could not provide a term paper, or the name of a single text book and he was unable to provide the name of a single instructor.
The FDLE also says it appears that both degrees were mailed to Isom at the same time.
"I don't think he did anything wrong. I think we made an administrative error," said Ralph Bowers, Fruitland Park City Manager.
Isom had a chance to sit down with the FDLE, but his Orlando-based attorney hired by the city told investigators he was pleading the Fifth Amendment and would not talk.
"Why would you surrender your civil rights when they were there with a specific intent to file criminal charges?" argued Bowers.
The FDLE will send this case to the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission where a number of things could happen to Isom. He could be cleared, he could receive a written reprimand or his law enforcement certification could be revoked.
State Attorney Brad King says this case has a lot of circumstantial evidence. He also said the Florida Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission is better suited to deal with the case.
Even if Isom is forced to retire, the city could not tell Eyewitness News if he would receive a state pension because he is paid into a private retirement account.
WFTV
