FL: EX-CHIEF SEX SCANDAL REPORT
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HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, Florida (WESH) — Newly released documents reveal that the Howey-in-the-Hills police chief resigned following an internal investigation into allegations of sexual activity while on duty, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Michael Giddens, former police chief, wrote to Town Manager Sean O’Keefe, stating his resignation was effective June 3.
Giddens had nearly three decades in law enforcement, with the lion’s share split between the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. His resignation came after anonymous allegations were sent via email to town employees.
Giddens has said his private life was “being targeted by anonymous individuals driven by personal and political agendas.”
In newly released documents, the LCSO said it found that Giddens had sexual encounters with the wife of a man he was investigating for a felony.
The report said that Giddens and the woman met at a hotel at least twice during the spring of 2025 and communicated through WhatsApp.
The allegations surfaced in May, leading to Giddens’ suspension and eventual resignation. The investigation found Giddens violated town and police policy, but it did not find any criminal conduct.
According to the report, Giddens violated a specific section of town and police code dealing with moral character and sex on duty. The report states the investigation on FDLE’s side started with a phone call to an agent last November, during which the caller described a text message thread he’d found between his girlfriend and Giddens.
The caller said the texts showed Giddens had been investigating the girlfriend’s husband for fraud last spring. She had filed for divorce prior to dating the caller.
The caller told the agent that while Giddens was surveilling the husband and communicating with the wife, in March 2025, Giddens and the woman went to a hotel behind the Chili’s where they met up for lunch, and had consensual sex.
She reportedly told her new boyfriend she was ashamed, but the report states that the texts between Giddens and the woman continued.
It went on to say Giddens and the woman then met up once again in May to have sex.
Investigators interviewed the woman in December of last year, but she told them she didn’t have the messages at that time. Then, in March, state investigators got a confidential tip that moved the case forward.
When questioned by investigators in April 2026, the woman acknowledged she still texted with Giddens and with her locked-up ex, but that she couldn’t help being a nice person.
Then, in May of this year, an anonymous email went out to town employees detailing the allegations. Giddens was suspended, then later stepped down.
Howey-in-the-Hills brought on LCSO to conduct a concurrent investigation with the state.
WESH 2 News has reached out to Giddens’ attorney, but we have not heard back. As of last Wednesday, LCSO said it hasn’t heard from Giddens, but that he’s been given several chances to interview.
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