Deputy disciplined in thefts of water, cable TV service

He used neighbors' water for his pool and took Time Warner service, officials say.

By TIM GRANT

© St. Petersburg Times, published January 25, 2001

TAMPA -- When Edward Rochelle applied for his job as a Hillsborough sheriff's deputy in 1997, he had 12 years of experience in Key West and recommendations from co-workers and friends.

Records show a former co-worker told Sheriff Cal Henderson that Rochelle was "an excellent detective" who would "make an outstanding addition to your agency."

But within six months of being hired in December 1997, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office suspended Rochelle for five days for lying in an official inquiry about a case in which he failed to help a motorist involved in a crash.

Now a December internal affairs investigation reveals that Rochelle admitted to several instances of theft that took place between late 1997 and November 2000.

Rochelle told investigators that on at least four occasions during that period he hooked his water hose to faucets belonging to his two adjacent neighbors in Lutz's VillaRosa development and filled his swimming pool without their knowledge.

Rochelle also admits to removing a pin in his Time Warner cable box to receive free cable television.

"Water is very expensive," he said when explaining his actions to the investigators.

He said he removed a filter off the cable box years ago to get the Weather Channel when a hurricane was threatening the area. He said he just never thought to reinstall the pin. "Of course, my huge error in judgment was not putting it back on."

Despite the admissions, prosecutors declined to prosecute Rochelle. Instead of firing him as the investigating committee recommended, the Sheriff's Office suspended Rochelle for 30 days.

"The decision we made was under mitigating circumstances," said sheriff's Col. Daron Diecidue, chairman of the disciplinary review board. "We felt the penalty we recommended in this case was proper."

The allegations were brought to the Sheriff's Office in November by Rochelle's estranged wife, Donna Rochelle, who works as a secretary at the state attorney's office.

She declined to comment for this story.

Diecidue said Mrs. Rochelle no longer wants to testify against her husband. He said there is no evidence of the thefts beyond the deputy's admissions, and no one is complaining about the theft other than Mrs. Rochelle.

Only one of the neighbors could be reached, and that neighbor didn't notice a difference in the water bill, according to the internal affairs report. When Time Warner inspected the cable box, the pin had been replaced so they could not prove it had ever been removed, Diecidue said.

Rochelle's 30-day suspension ends Friday. He had worked out of the District III station in Citrus Park, but will be transferred to the Brandon area.

Rochelle said he has filed for a divorce and is grateful to have another chance with the Hillsborough Sheriff's Office.

"They took my 16 years of law enforcement history, added it up and by the grace of God I kept my job," Rochelle said.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright