ST. LOUIS — A St. Louis Sheriff's deputy is fired after someone sent salacious photos of him to his employer. The brand new deputy says he doesn't understand the decision but the department says it's a violation of policy. 5 On Your Side is the only media outlet the former deputy spoke with.
He questions if it all boils down to the fact he's gay. He uploaded nude images on a dating app before he got the job. This week he found out that decision is now costing him his job.
"I haven’t slept yet. I've been up crying because I had nothing but good intentions for the sheriff's department,” said the 29-year-old, who asked not to be identified.
He just got the news Thursday when a supervisor called him into the office.
"He pulled up on his computer an email attachment with three different photos of me,” he explained.
They were nude images he posted on the gay dating and social media app Grindr. The images showed his backside. He says he posted them before he got the job as a deputy. He says he's since deleted the profile, but not before someone captured the images and sent them to his boss.
That's when he learned he's out of a job. "He said I gotta go."
"We have a manual. We have rules and regulations,” Sheriff Vernon Betts said.
He calls the salacious photos...."Conduct unbecoming of a sheriff's deputy."
The department's social media policy says "Deputies should be aware of the effect their actions may have....(on) the department's image. The information that one posts or publishes may be public information for a long time."
The deputy doesn't understand Betts saying the photos don't reflect positively on the department.
“I don't, because I read the social media policy… On the job, I can understand but before, everybody has a life. Everybody has a past,” he responded.
Advocate Andre Smith is now looking to get answers.
"He was wrongfully fired through images that were sent unlawfully… The images were obtained unlawfully according to Missouri statute 573.110…They were distributed obviously with mal intent because these images were not found on any other social media website. This website requires you to create an account and have it for private use,” he said.
"If it was a straight male or a straight female, this whole situation wouldn't have occurred,” the former deputy added.
When asked if an employee would face termination due to their sexual orientation, Betts said, “Hell no… I got several deputies who are homosexual.
"I don't care nothing about their sexual preference or what they do when they're not on the job unless it’s something that's going to reflect on their integrity as a sheriff's deputy,” he said.
Smith said they attempted to file a police report but were told the case does not equate to a crime. The former deputy is now looking for an attorney.
Betts said he has openings for 11 deputy positions.