Ex-deputy charged with sexually assaulting minor

A former Putnam County Sheriff’s Office youth resource director was arrested Monday and accused of engaging in a yearslong sexual relationship with a minor.
Joshua Robert Herren, 36, was booked into the Putnam County Jail without bail, Sheriff Gator DeLoach said during a press conference Monday at the sheriff’s office.
“Our hearts are broken for the victim in this case and we pray this arrest may be the next step in the healing process for them,” DeLoach said. “We’re also disgusted and angry.”
Herren became a sheriff’s office deputy in 2016 and had received no prior disciplinary action while at the agency, according to a sheriff’s office social media post. 
Although the sheriff’s office did not name the school where Herren worked, a sheriff’s office post from 2021 showed Herren next to a new patrol vehicle at Interlachen Junior-Senior High School. 
“While school resource officers are not employees of the (Putnam County) School District, we work closely with them to ensure the safety of all of our students,” Superintendent Rick Surrency said. “This incident upsets me terribly, as it does not meet the high standards that we set for public employees to serve our schools and community.”
On Aug. 26, Herren posted on his Facebook page that he no longer worked at the high school. 
“I may no longer be at Interlachen High, but I imagine I can find the time to swing by and annoy (Principal Bryan) Helms with my hat for the sake of old times,” Herren wrote in a caption on his Facebook page. 
According to the incident reports, the victim told deputies Herren started having sex with her in 2017, when she was 15, and continued into 2020. His encounters with the victim reportedly took place in the town of Interlachen, according to the sheriff’s office incident report. 
In 2018, the victim initially denied Herren assaulting her when deputies received an anonymous report of Herren’s behavior, according to the sheriff’s office. However, the victim, now an adult, came forward earlier this month because she was concerned Herren might prey on other students. 
“The fact that the victim declined to cooperate with us or provide any information in the initial investigation is not a reflection of their character or their integrity,” DeLoach said. “Crimes such as this take an enormous emotional toll on victims, and it is up to them on how they choose to heal and whether or not they cooperate with any investigation.”
When law enforcement officers summoned Herren to the Criminal Investigations Bureau of the sheriff’s office for an interview Nov. 14, DeLoach said, Herren declined to participate.
“At that time Herren was immediately stripped of all law enforcement authority and placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation,” the agency said in its social media post. “About one hour later, Herren notified his supervisor by text message of his intent to resign. The resignation was immediately accepted, thus revoking his commission as a deputy.”
Back in 2017, it was during a ride home from a meeting that Herren reportedly asked the victim if she trusted him, to which she replied yes, according to the incident report. He then proceeded to touch her inappropriately, and multiple encounters eventually led to Herren and the victim having sex, authorities alleged. 
The victim reportedly informed deputies Herren had told her to lie during the 2018 investigation, instructed her not to give deputies her cellphone and to reset the phone completely. 
According to agency documents, Herren communicated with her through Facebook and Instagram messenger. Despite eventually blocking his phone number and social media accounts, the victim told deputies, Herren created new accounts to contact her. She also reported receiving letters from him at her home. 
“She explained the letters warned her against telling anyone and that he missed her,” according to the indecent report. “At one point he stated he was in love with her.”
The victim gave deputies her cellphone, which still contained explicit photos and videos in which she was younger than 18, authorities said. 
“We work daily and tirelessly to ensure that we build a relationship of trust with the community and this certainly does not promote that,” DeLoach said. “In fact, it goes a long way toward eroding the foundation that trust is built on.”

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