The Florida Department of Law Enforcement earlier this month closed a 10-day investigation into what it termed “unverified information” that Flagler County Commissioner Joe Mullins “had interacted with an escort service.” FDLE found nothing that would warrant a criminal investigation.
“Based on the information provided and reviewed at this time, there was no evidence to corroborate a criminal predicate for FDLE to conduct a criminal investigation,” a two-page report by FDLE states. The report indicates that Agent Keith Riddick opened the inquiry on April 27 and closed it on May 5.
“The Mullins case is closed,” FDLE spokesperson Gretl Plessinger wrote today in an email, with the report.
The report states that Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Chief of Staff Mark Strobridge emailed FDLE on April 27, asking the agency to “investigate allegations made against” Mullins, along with certain documents. Earlier in April, an anonymous emailer had sent innumerable local public elected and administrative officials a pdf collage of selfies of Mullins and purported but vague payments he’d made. The set of pdfs, disseminated as broadly as it was, was clearly intended to embarrass the commissioner and raise questions about his conduct, though it made no direct accusations.
Mullins briefly addressed the allegations in general terms at the end of a county commission meeting earlier this month, calling the ploy an effort to smear him and tying it to ongoing family court issues in Georgia, where he said similar tactics have been used ahead of court hearings in attempts to damage his position.
FDLE reviewed the materials, along with a letter from the Palm Coast Observer inquiring to Sheriff Rick Staly about whether he would investigate (Staly had responded through a spokesperson that he had sent the materials to FDLE, as it would have been a potential conflict of interest for his agency to investigate a local official). FDLE reviewed a Bunnell Police Department report following up on a Mullins complaint filed with the department, and Mullins texts that he “would address his complaint via the civil courts.”
The agency reviewed an extensive Daytona Beach News-Journal article–the only article that made direct and detailed references to the pdf documents, though it did not corroborate any of the allegations, and a FlaglerLive article on the “Joe Mullins Smear.”
“It should be noted that although the reviewed documents contained unverified information that Commissioner Mullins had interacted with an escort service, it did not substantiate the allegation that he was ‘engaging prostitutes,'” FDLE concluded.
The report went on: “On May 7, 2020 Inspector Riddick spoke with Commissioner Mullins about these matters. Commissioner Mullins advised that he had not been involved in the solicitation of a prostitute and that the money he sent via PayPal (from one of the reviewed documents) was pertaining to a reimbursement related to his short term rental business. Commissioner Mullins also reiterated that he did not wish to proceed with a criminal investigation related to the allegations of cyber stalking he made to BPD.”
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carol says
Just get rid of this guy, we don’t need more issues in Flagler county.
Concerned Citizen says
Ol Teflon Joe. LOL.
Another teflon coated Flagler County rep skates by again. What is with our BOCC? What makes them untouchable?
Minus Kimberly Weeks, Who was only made an example of. Every single BOCC member in this County and surrounding entities has avoided prosecution. FDLE always ‘fails to find suffiecient evidence” to prosecute. What is it? Is money being passed? Is FDLE afraid of Flagler County? And if so why?
I wonder what would happen if Flagler Live really did some in depth investigative journalism. And I wonder what would happen if the FBI was brought in to investigate. Might be a whole different story then.
Roy Longo says
Concerned Citizen, can you please tell us whet every other commissioner has done that should have been prosecuted? Ethic complaints by a couple rouge citizens that filed complaints for fun don’t count. I would like to hear about crime the commissioners have committed.
Steve says
Enough about this lame brain game player. Vote him out he goes away.
Julie A Smith says
OK lets see what the Mullens trolls have to say now!
Concerned Citizen says
I’m no troll. I have never liked him and had the unfortunate experience of meeting him several times.
I’m one of the ones he would like to ship out on a bus/box car. I’m still waiting on that btw. He will have to put forth a good effort to make it happen.
Mike Cocchiola says
This was never a legal issue. It is a moral issue. Whether you believe Joe Mullins’ explanation or not, he lurches from one questionable situation to another. His reputation upon leaving Georgia and his actions here in Flagler show a pattern of moral impropriety. I believe he cannot help himself. This is who he is.
Joe Mullins is a very bad example of a Flagler County commissioner. He dishonors his office and Flagler County. He should never become chair of the BOCC and he must not be elected to a second term.
CB from PC says
Plenty of Democrats have a “moral” issue as well. At least he is not messing with interns. Or being a creepy groping old coffee.
The Geode says
LOL. Y’all spend all this time worrying about a “rinky-dink dirt-road politician” when we have politicians who are 100x more POWERFUL AND PROMINENT turning this country into a “shit-show”…