A Florida deputy who was busted by his own body camera footage stealing money from a DUI suspect hasn’t been charged with a crime, according to First Coast News.
Volusia County sheriff’s deputy John Braman, 33, resigned on Monday after he was placed on paid administrative leave last Wednesday as the department began investigating “multiple” allegations that he had taken money from defendants during DUI arrests.
The Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood responded to the crime in a youtube video promising to take “appropriate action,” but has yet to charge Braman with theft.
“Integrity is the cornerstone of any law enforcement officers’ careers. Once you lose your integrity, you have lost your ability to be an effective law enforcement officer,” Chief Chitwood says in the video. “Today, I am very disappointed to announce that deputy John Braman has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation by FDLE.”
“Over the past several months, this organization has received deputy Braman, during car stops in which he was arrested the operator of the vehicle for DWI charges, was stealing money from their wallets while he was processing those prisoners.”
One victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, was arrested for refusing a breathalyzer test.
Upon arriving at the Volusia County Jail, Braman checked the victim’s property and informed him he had $13 in his wallet. The victim disagreed, saying he had $213 in his wallet.
“I wasn’t sure if he had taken it or it was lost or what happened,” he said. “Who’s going to believe a guy getting arrested for a DUI, so it was very frustrating.”
It wasn’t until his attorney helping him fight his DUI charge requested footage from Braman’s body cam footage that the truth came out.
“I couldn’t believe it, I just couldn’t believe that an officer of the law stole money from me,” the victim said.
In an interview with the Daytona Beach News-Journal Sheriff Chitwood called Braman a “thieving idiot.”
“He represents an infinitesimal number of bad cops around the country but when this gets played in the news it makes everyone who wears the badge have to defend themselves against the actions of this idiot.”
“And that’s what he is, a thieving idiot.”
The below footage from Braman’s body cam shows the deputy stealing two $100 bills from the DUI suspect’s wallet while he was cuffed inside his patrol car.
Braman, an eight-year veteran, made $60,000 in 2016. In 2011, he received an award for his bravery for arresting a man who had shot him and another deputy without killing him, according to the Daytona Beach News-Journal.
