14 state workers fired for obscene e-mails

Others are suspended in a probe touching at least four departments.

TALLAHASSEE - Fourteen employees at four state agencies have been fired in a widening investigation of lewd and inappropriate e-mails repeatedly sent by employees at work during the past few months.

The investigation began at the Department of Education after an employee complained about an invitation for three-way sex from a fellow employee.

Department investigators reviewing e-mails found that some came from employees at other state agencies.

The e-mails were unacceptable and the policies against them well known, said Alia Faraj, communications director for Gov. Jeb Bush.

Now most state agencies are reminding employees to use state e-mail accounts only for government business and refrain from sending jokes, cartoons or sexually offensive material.

All of the employees disciplined or fired have been accused of conduct unbecoming a public employee.

After finding obscene e-mails were sent to more than 20 employees at his agency, Education Commissioner John Winn notified other agencies and similar investigations began. Four DOE employees were dismissed and others might join them.

By Thursday, eight employees at the Department of Children and Families, four at Education, one at the Department of Transportation and one at the Department of Business and Professional Regulation had been terminated, while others have been disciplined with suspensions and reprimands.

All state agencies have policies against inappropriate e-mail and employees are routinely asked to acknowledge those rules when they are hired.

At Transportation, Gail Jones, an employee in the general counsel's office, was fired and six others suspended for one to 14 days.

Children and Families, which provides protective services for children, found 11 employees forwarded some of the offensive e-mails but fired only those who had sent five or more to other employees. Those notified of dismissal were Cheryl Canty, Toya Daniels, Lashay Lattimore, Jackie McNealy, Coressa Harrison, Ruby Nicholson, Sandy Holm and Secret Williams, all career service employees who have the right to a hearing and an appeal.

Two former DCF employees were identified as participants but already had left the agency. Mario Williams left in April and Ugondia Washington resigned in February. Two others received counseling and a third will be suspended.

DCF Secretary Lucy Hadi sent a message to all employees Wednesday advising them what happened.

"Please don't make the same mistake," Hadi wrote. "I want to take this opportunity to remind the entire DCF team that state provided e-mail accounts are communications tools intended to improve our efficiency in the workplace. They are not to be used as your personal e-mail accounts."

At Business and Professional Regulation, one employee, Arthur Lawson in the Division of Technology, was suspended for three days for conduct unbecoming a public employee for misusing state e-mail. A second employee at DBPR remains under investigation.

Four State Department employees are under investigation for forwarding some of the e-mails sent by Education employees.

Some of the e-mails included nude photos of men and women and some included videos, profanity and suggestive remarks. One animation portrayed former President Bill Clinton at his desk with Monica Lewinsky and another included Barney, the purple dinosaur, and children dancing to profane and violent gangsta rap.

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