The Lee County Sheriff's Office employee suspended for making inappropriate comments using the agency's Facebook page last month has been identified as former public information officer Gary Levine.
The agency announced the suspension, probation and reassignment of an employee two weeks ago but failed to identify Levine as the perpetrator.
More: LCSO civilian employee suspended after inappropriate Facebook comment
Internal records show Levine received a one-day suspension, which was effective July 28, and six months probation after he came forward and took responsibility for two vulgar comments. The Sheriff's Office has reassigned him as a community response coordinator, an agency spokesperson said.
"I replied with two different negative comments in question," Levine wrote in an internal memo. "Both of my comments were unacceptable and I take full and sole responsibility for those comments. I acted solely on my own and without the knowledge and consent of any others. I apologize for my actions and poor judgment in this matter."
The inappropriate comments first appeared on the agency's Facebook page on July 9 before they were deleted.
One comment made by the page to another user told the person to "eat (expletive) and die." Another comment referred to a user as an eggplant, which can be interpreted as internet slang for a man's genitalia or an ethnic slur.
More: Lee County Sheriff's Office sends, deletes vulgar response to woman on Facebook
A public records request for deleted comments on July 9 shows the page made and removed a third inappropriate comment similar to the other posts.
Levine's time cards for that day show he was not working.
Chief of Operations John Holloway wrote in a memo that the Sheriff's Office had arranged to interview all employees with access to the page before Levine came forward.
"A review of Gary Levine's work record revealed no prior issues or concerns, and his supervisors indicated he was a very productive, dedicated and reliable employee," Holloway wrote.
Sheriff Carmine Marceno addressed the inappropriate comments in a Facebook post the day after Levine came forward.
"This civilian employee's conduct was unacceptable. Abuse of any kind, including written or verbal abuse will not be tolerated. I demand the same high level of professionalism from our civilian members as from our sworn deputies," Marceno said in the post.
Lt. Anita Iriarte said the investigation was closed and the agency would not be issuing any more comments after the News-Press inquired about the third post, which no one has taken responsibility for, or if the agency verified that the inappropriate comments came from outside its headquarters.
Levine had been in the public information office for more than three years before his reassignment.
Connect with reporter Devan Patel: @DevanJPatel (Twitter) or devan.patel@naplesnews.com
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Public information officer identified as LCSO employee who made vulgar social media posts - News-Press
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