MACCLENNY, Fla. — The Baker County Sheriff's Office is under investigation for undisclosed reasons following an executive order from Gov. Ron DeSantis.
4th District Judicial Circuit State Attorney Melissa Nelson is assuming the investigation after 8th District Attorney Brian Kramer recused himself. According to the order, Kramer has previously endorsed Sheriff Scotty Rhoden for election.
The Alachua County Sheriff's Office is also being investigated. Kramer recused himself from that case as well due his support of ACSO Sheriff Emery Gainey, and it will be overseen by 3rd District Judicial Circuit State Attorney John Durrett.
Nelson and Durrett's executive assignment will last until at least May 4, 2025, the order said.
In 2022, 16 civil rights groups filed a federal complaint against the U.S. departments of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement about the Baker County Detention Center. The 102-page complaint was on behalf of 15 people currently or formerly detained at the federally run facility at the Baker County Sheriff's Office, by multiple groups such as the Americans for Immigrant Justice, Freedom for Immigrants, Florida Policy Institute and the Black Alliance for Just Immigration.
