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Former Police Chief Accused of Having Sex with Suspect’s Wife While Conducting Investigation
The nearly 80-page report says he had on-duty sexual encounters with a woman linked to a fraud investigation, and the town has referred the case to state reviewers.
- On June 3, Howey-in-the-Hills Police Chief Michael Giddens resigned after an investigation revealed he engaged in sexual activity while on duty with the estranged wife of a suspect he was investigating.
- Investigators began probing Giddens in November 2025 after receiving a tip regarding text messages, as he had been investigating the woman's husband for contractor fraud starting in March 2025.
- WhatsApp messages corroborated that Giddens and the woman met at local hotels twice in 2025 for consensual sexual encounters while he was on duty, described as a "relationship became more personal."
- Resigning to "preserve the integrity of the office of the Chief," Giddens avoided disciplinary measures, while Interim Police Chief John Batchelor now leads the department search for a permanent replacement.
- Although the investigation found no criminal wrongdoing, Giddens violated police department policies regarding moral character and on-duty conduct, with findings now under review by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
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Ex-police chief of Florida town was having sex with wife of man he was investigating, report finds
According to an investigation conducted by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, former Howey-in-the-Hills police chief Michael Giddens was being investigated for having sex, while on duty, with a woman who was the estranged wife of the suspect in a criminal investigation.
·Jacksonville, United States
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Ex-Florida police chief was having affair, sex on duty with wife of suspect under investigation: FDLE report
Former Howey-in-the-Hills Police Chief Michael Giddens, who was placed on administrative leave in May and resigned in June, allegedly had an affair with the estranged wife of a suspect who was being actively investigated as part of a criminal probe, according to investigations by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
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