POLK COUNTY, Fla. \u2013 A police officer was taken into custody this week after he was accused of racking up charges on a dead man\u2019s credit card, according to the Polk County Sheriff\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n
In a release, deputies said that the officer \u2014 identified as Jeffrey Ziegler, 24 \u2014 began committing the crimes the day after the victim died on Feb. 28, 2024.<\/p>\n
From then until March 12, several unauthorized charges were made on the dead man\u2019s credit cards, amounting to over $10,300, deputies added.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe charges went unnoticed until Dec. 31, 2025, when family members going through the deceased man\u2019s mail discovered past-due notices for all of the charges,\u201d the release reads.<\/p>\n
Jeffrey Ziegler, 24 (Polk County Sheriff’s Office)<\/p>\n
The fraud was eventually reported to the PCSO earlier this year, and an investigation kicked off.<\/p>\n
Per investigators, deputies learned that the dead man lived with his daughter and her boyfriend at that time. However, the boyfriend was eventually pegged as Ziegler.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe daughter provided detectives text messages that had been sent to her from Ziegler in which he mentioned being at specific locations, and those texts matched up with the fraudulent charges,\u201d the release continues.<\/p>\n
The sheriff\u2019s office revealed that during the timeframe of his crimes, Ziegler worked as a detention deputy at the Hillsborough County Sheriff\u2019s Office. At the time of his arrest, Ziegler was employed as an officer with the Haines City Police Department.<\/p>\n
\u201cKnowingly stealing from someone who has died is just terrible,\u201d Sheriff Grady Judd said. \u201cI\u2019m not sure what he was thinking, but we are holding him accountable for his criminal behavior. This permanently ends his career in public safety, that\u2019s for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ziegler now faces charges of grand theft, fraudulent use of a credit card, unlawful use of a two-way communication device, unlawful possession of personal identification information, and criminal use of personal identification of a deceased person.<\/p>\n
The HCPD announced that Ziegler submitted a letter of resignation effective immediately upon his arrest. That said, Haines City Public Safety Director Joe Halman said Ziegler would have been fired otherwise.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are deeply saddened and disappointed by the alleged off-duty behavior of former officer Jeff Ziegler. We expect our officers to uphold the law and maintain integrity on and off duty,\u201d Halman said. \u201cBased upon the information we have reviewed, he exercised exceedingly poor judgment. His actions do not reflect the values of this department.\u201d<\/p>\n
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