ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A former county employee is facing felony charges for trying to extort money from local business owners, Orange County deputies said.
Nelson Ramirez, who is the son of Osceola Clerk of Court, worked at Orange County Division of Building Services as a permit analyst.
Channel 9's Janine Reyes obtained an arrest warrant regarding Nelson Ramirez that details how he used his position working at the county office to steal money.
The investigation began when a couple who owns a Super Deal Dollar store went to the Orange County Division of Building Services to apply for a use permit in April.
The permit cost $32.00, which is correct, but investigators said Nelson Ramirez told the couple he had to inspect the building first, and it would cost them $300 in cash.
Former county employee, son of Osceola Clerk of Courts Armando Ramirez charged w/using job to take cash #WFTVat5 pic.twitter.com/hS6DkhrJyD
— Janine Reyes (@JReyesinTexas) September 14, 2016
The county learned about the illegal transaction when the couple came back asking for a receipt, investigators said.
The couple put Ramirez on administrative leave and he brought the money back to the couple the next day.
The store owners said they did not want to prosecute out of fear of retaliation. However, charges were filed against Nelson Ramirez after he was caught at the store on a surveillance camera.
A permit analyst, Ramirez was not licensed to perform building inspections, investigators said.
Nelson Ramirez was arrested Tuesday. He’s been charged with unlawful compensation or reward for official behavior, grand theft and falsely impersonating a certificate holder.
The sheriff's department said it plans to review six months of Ramirez's transactions and contact out to those people to see if there could be more victims.
Nelson Ramirez worked for the county for 13 years.
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