Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) Thomas Knight spoke this morning about the arrest that occurred today at about 7 AM.
Frankie Bybee, a Deputy for the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office was arrested after multiple allegations were made by a 79 year-old woman.
On December 20, 2016, the elderly victim reported she was being harassed by Deputy Bybee. The Internal Affiars Division at the Sheriff’s Office began an investigation.
It is reported that on October 21, 2016, he responded to a call for service at her home. After that time, he continued to make regular visits to her home while both on and off-duty.
It is reported that at one point in time, the victim gave Deputy Bybee a check for $1,000 to cover any medical expenses her dog may incur during her own hospitalization. While in the hospital, he deposited the money into his own account and sold her dog on Craigslist.
SCSO was made aware that on January 9th, four check totaling $65,000 were forged and made out to Bybee.
On January 12, 2017, Bybee reportedly entered the victim’s home wearing dark clothes and blue gloves. According to the Sheriff, he mounted her, held her down and forced prescription medication into her mouth. As she lay unconscious, he left a car running in the garage with the interior door opened allowing the home to fill with carbon monoxide.
He was trying to make it appear that she committed suicide.
She survived the ordeal and notified the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.
Bybee is facing multiple charges including attempted murder.
He is currently being booked into the Sarasota County Jail.
Bybee has been under investigation five times with the agency with at least two of those leaving him suspended without pay.
UPDATE: Frankie Bybee just attended first appearance where the judge set his bond to $1,033,120.00. Arraignment scheduled for February 24th.
Update: February 9, 2017
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office arrested 23 year-old Carson Lee Plank, a sheriff’s office employee of just over a year, after she lied to detectives during the criminal investigation surrounding ex-employee Frankie Bybee.
During the investigation, Plank was identified as one of the first deputies on scene at the victim’s home on January 12. Plank was interviewed by detectives later that day regarding her response to the incident. During questioning, Plank indicated that she didn’t see anything out of the ordinary at the victim’s home nor had she been in contact with colleague Frankie Bybee, since he was placed on administrative leave on December 20, 2016.
On January 19, Plank was again interviewed by detectives and disclosed that she was untruthful during her prior interview. Plank admitted to locating and photographing with a cellular phone, a blood droplet with human hair, at the victim’s home on January 12. Plank did not submit the photograph as evidence and following the January 12 incident, contacted
Bybee to make him aware of the questions detectives asked her related to the attempted murder allegations. Phone records later obtained by detectives confirmed the communication between Plank and Bybee. At the conclusion of the interview on January 19, Plank was placed on administrative leave.
Plank was booked today into the Sarasota County Jail and after her first appearance, released on her own recognizance.
She is charged with a single count of Providing False Information to Law Enforcement During an Investigation. Plank’s employment status is pending the outcome of the concurrent and ongoing criminal and IA investigations.