Hernando deputy resigns after internal investigation reveals he conducted 7 fake traffic stop: HCSO

BROOKSVILLE, Fla. - A Hernando County deputy resigned after an internal affairs investigation revealed he conducted seven fake traffic stops and allowed a ride-along citizen to view confidential information, officials said. 

The Hernando County Sheriff's Office said Deputy Joseph McClellan submitted his letter of resignation near the conclusion of the internal investigation. Authorities also said he declined to be interviewed by investigators on the case. 

The investigation began when an HCSO sergeant sent a memo to a colonel with the sheriff's office after one of the sergeant's detective's detailed a supposed traffic stop conducted by Deputy McClellan. 

READ: Man accused of jumping into Busch Gardens alligator enclosure arrested

The traffic stop was allegedly conducted at around 5 a.m. on March 10, and the detective told the sergeant he heard McClellan call out the stop after just passing the deputy's location. HCSO officials said the detective decided to turn around to back up Deputy McClellan since he was still close by, but he couldn't locate the traffic stop. 

The detective continued to drive around the immediate area to find the traffic stop, and eventually found Deputy McClellan's patrol car sitting at the same spot he originally saw him on. HCSO investigators said this was at Elgin Boulevard near Landover Boulevard, and McClellan's lights were blacked out.

 After the sergeant was notified, the sheriff's office said he started researching various databases in hopes of locating evidence of the traffic stop, but couldn't find any. Investigators said two more reported traffic stops were also found to be of concern by the sergeant.

McClellan's dashcam also had several inconsistencies, including the camera not recording at various times when he was operating his vehicle with lights and sirens on, according to officials. The internal investigation eventually revealed he was turning the camera off during these occasions. 

MORE: Florida sheriff: Mom shot, killed by neighbor amid long-standing feud over her children

The deputy was notified of the internal investigation on March 23, according to the sheriff's office.

During the investigation, it was found that McClellan reported conducting seven traffic stops that didn't actually happen, investigators said. 

He's also accused of allowing a citizen participating in a ride along to approach a violator's vehicle during a traffic stop and even allowed them to approach the vehicle alone to return a driver's license, registration and insurance information. HCSO said the citizen also was allowed to give a verbal warning to the driver regarding speed. 

McClellan was also accused of showing confidential information to a ride-along citizen, according to officials. 

During the investigation, authorities said they also searched his patrol car and found several witness statement forms that had not been completed and attached to proper case files. 

The deputy returned all his HCSO property on May 19, according to the sheriff's office.