Mugshot of former Polk County deputy Ezekiel Williams following his arrest in a Polk County fraud and official misconduct investigation involving falsified time cards.

25-year-old Ezekiel Williams / Polk County Sheriff’s Office

A former Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputy has been arrested after investigators say he falsified time cards and collected $4,318 in pay for hours he never worked. The ex-deputy now faces multiple felony charges including fraud, grand theft, and official misconduct.

By Ciara Perez, Senior Multimedia Correspondent
iSkyNews.com (ISN) – Published May 20, 2026
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🚨 News Brief

Former Polk County deputy arrested on fraud and misconduct charges

Investigators say he falsely claimed 131.5 work hours

Sheriff’s Office says he was paid $4,318.39 for time not worked

Former deputy was assigned to light-duty at Animal Control due to a medical issue

Sheriff Grady Judd says, “Now he is looking at jail from the inside out.”

A former Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputy is facing multiple felony charges after investigators say he falsified time records and collected thousands of dollars in pay for hours he never worked.

According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, 25-year-old Ezekiel Williams was arrested Tuesday, May 20, following an internal investigation that found he allegedly submitted false time cards resulting in $4,318.39 in unearned pay.

25-year-old Ezekiel Williams / Polk County Sheriff’s Office

Williams is charged with:

🔴 Scheming to Defraud (F3)
🔴 Unlawful Use of a 2-Way Communication Device (F3)
🔴 Grand Theft (F3)
🔴 Official Misconduct (F3)

Authorities say Williams had been approved for light-duty assignment at Animal Control beginning March 24, 2026, due to an ongoing medical issue stemming from an off-duty injury.

His approved schedule reportedly included Tuesday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with Mondays designated for approved PTO/FMLA medical appointments.

Investigators say concerns surfaced in April after Williams repeatedly called out of work by texting the Animal Control supervisor overseeing his assignment.

After several absences, the supervisor reportedly contacted Williams’ law enforcement chain of command, raising concerns about his attendance.

A preliminary review of his time records allegedly revealed discrepancies between the hours Williams claimed to have worked and the hours investigators say he actually worked.

That prompted a full internal investigation, including an audit of each pay period.

According to detectives, the investigation found Williams falsely claimed 131.5 work hours over three separate pay periods, totaling $4,318.39 in compensation.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd did not mince words in a statement following the arrest.

“This deputy was injured off-duty, and we gave him every opportunity to handle his medical issues and continue to work on light-duty status. The thanks he gave to us in return was to steal our money. Now he is looking at jail from the inside out. Had he not resigned, his employment would have been terminated.”

Williams was originally hired by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office on May 21, 2024.

Officials say he is currently being held on $20,000 bond, set at $5,000 for each charge.

Source: Polk County Sheriff’s Office

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