Photo: CBS 12
A $50,000 cut in pay and a demotion in rank for a now-former Martin County Sheriff's Lieutenant.
Alex James went to sleep a lieutenant and woke up a deputy, after an Internal Affairs investigation found that he was sending suggestive messages to insubordinates...women working as deputies beneath his rank.
Martin County Sheriff William Snyder tells CBS 12 News that he's sparing James of termination.
"What he did made him ineligible to be a supervisor, but it really doesn't make him ineligible to be a line worker, a line deputy."
Snyder says if the behaviors continue, James could find himself out of a job and he definitely won't be promoted anytime soon.
"That would be highly unlikely...certainly wouldn't be in my time here as sheriff."
The I-A report details the messages sent to female deputies beneath his rank through text message and on social media as being "suggestive." They include such things as "I give good massages" and "Thinking about you."
Claims of sexual harassment spurred the investigation.
The sheriff hopes that this case is a one-off, and that the punishment for James’ actions deters anyone else from following in his footsteps.