POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd confirmed the arrest of one of his own deputies who was on the job for less than a year.
Grady said Jake Germak, 21, who was a trainee and deputy, was arrested after a forgery investigation.
The sheriff said it started after Germak’s investigation of a theft complaint on March 17, but he failed to get the victim to sign the required documentation. He said the deputy texted the victim, telling her she needed to fill out the form for the official report.
Grady said Germak later texted her again, saying he “got it handled.”
Grady said when detectives spoke to the victim the next day, they mentioned those texts. Grady said the she told deputies she had spoken with Germak after getting the texts, and he mentioned that she had signed the documents, which she knew she did not do.
Detectives studied the documents and determined the signatures were not hers.
Upon questioning, Germak admitted he signed her name, according to the sheriff.
Germak was arrested and charged with forgery, uttering a false instrument, using the ID of another person without consent and public servant altering an official document.
Germak resigned when he was arrested. Grady said if had not resigned, he would have been fired.
“Public servants must be held to a higher standard, and dishonesty will not be tolerated. Germak’s conduct was unethical and criminal, and we are making sure he will be held responsible,” Judd said in a news release.
Germak was hired by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office on April 29, 2024.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2025 Cox Media Group
