SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — 9 Investigates found out Seminole County hired a director to run its jail after he was forced out of the same job in Osceola County.
Two inmates escaped and a third made an attempt to escape on Greg Futch's watch at the Osceola County Jail.
The sheriff's office and sources outside the county told WFTV Futch is an expert at improving jails, and the only reason he left Osceola County was because of politics.
Four years ago, attempted murder suspect Michael Rigby escaped from his cell at the Osceola County Jail. The breakout was just one of several controversies during Futch's two years on the job in Osceola. A few days after WFTV interviewed Futch, he resigned.
But WFTV discovered Seminole County hired the 56-year-old to run its jail at a salary of more than $100,000 a year.
WFTV legal analyst Belvin Perry worked with Futch when he was the chief judge in Orange and Osceola counties.
Perry is just one of many people WFTV has talked to who believe Futch was the scapegoat for a public-relations nightmare.
"He faced some problems that were a little bit beyond his control. Number one was personnel and number two was lack of funding," said Perry.
It is not Futch's first time working at the Seminole County Jail.
The agency first hired him as a deputy in 1982, and he worked his way up to jail director.
Futch then took his expertise to Flagler and Brevard counties without any issues.
Seminole County said, in part, that Futch "brings extensive law enforcement and correctional experience to the position, along with a strong familiarity with the Seminole County Sheriff's Office. We are confident he will serve our facility, our agency, and our community well."
WFTV
