SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Seminole County Deputy Sheriff Nestor Nieves Jr. turned himself in Thursday on a third-degree felony charge of organized fraud.
Investigators allege Nieves falsified overtime timesheets to obtain thousands of dollars in unearned compensation between 2024 and 2025.
Nieves surrendered at the John E. Polk Correctional Facility on Thursday, after the Office of the State Attorney, 18th Judicial Circuit, issued an arrest warrant. He has since posted a $3,000 bond. The charge follows an investigation into his conduct during off-duty overtime assignments between Oct. 1, 2024 and Aug. 31, 2025.
The criminal investigation focused on conduct involving off-duty overtime details. According to a capias request filed with the state attorney, Nieves falsified overtime entries to receive thousands of dollars in compensation he did not work for. Prosecutors determined that probable cause existed for the felony charge following a review of the sheriff’s office investigation.
Nieves has been employed with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office since September 2015. He was suspended from his duties in late August 2025 while the investigation into the timesheet entries was conducted.
Sheriff Dennis Lemma has now served Nieves with a Notice of Proposed Discipline for termination. As part of the agency’s standard disciplinary process, Nieves has the right to request a name-clearing hearing to appeal the proposed firing.
The sheriff’s office is also conducting a related investigation involving a second deputy for similar alleged conduct. That individual is currently suspended, though no additional information has been released regarding the active case.
The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement emphasizing its commitment to internal oversight. “The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office holds its members to the highest standards,” the agency said. “When allegations of misconduct arise, they are thoroughly investigated.”
Potential charges regarding the second suspended deputy will be announced at the conclusion of that investigation. Nieves may proceed with a name-clearing hearing if he chooses to appeal his proposed termination.
The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement emphasizing its commitment to internal oversight. “The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office holds its members to the highest standards,” the agency said. “When allegations of misconduct arise, they are thoroughly investigated.”
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