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Ex-Sanford Police Investigator Accused of Fabricating 79 Off-Duty Details Freed on $150,000 Bond

Court records cite $12,640 in alleged payouts tied to a fictitious Lofts at Eden account during an ongoing multi-agency investigation.

Ronny Neal, 49, of the Sanford Police Department was arrested on 79 charges of official misconduct and one charge of organized fraud on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025. Neal is accused of fabricating timesheets over nearly a year to indicate he worked off-duty details at an apartment complex, with the scheme allegedly netting him more than $12,000. (Sanford Police Department)
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Overview

  • Ronny Neal, 49, was arrested Dec. 16, fired from the Sanford Police Department, and charged with 79 counts of official misconduct and one count of organized fraud under $20,000.
  • A judge set bond at $150,000 and Neal has been released from the Seminole County jail, according to the sheriff’s office.
  • Investigators say Neal created 79 fake off-duty details attributed to the Lofts at Eden between Oct. 1, 2023, and July 28, 2024, and billed the city for hours he did not work.
  • A court affidavit places the alleged proceeds at $12,640, and city finance flagged unpaid accounts; eight money orders totaling $6,120 were later posted to the Lofts account and appeared to share similar handwriting.
  • As the Professional Standards investigator overseeing off-duty details, Neal set rates and submitted invoices, a process the chief says is being overhauled, while FDLE and the U.S. Secret Service review his finances and weigh additional charges with no other officers implicated.