LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – A now-former Orange County deputy who was arrested and suspended of law enforcement duties earlier this year, accused of possessing child pornography, was re-arrested this week in Lake County, now accused of stalking the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office detective who obtained his original arrest warrant.
James Ruben Montiel, 40, faces new charges of aggravated stalking and possession of prescription medication in his Aug. 5 arrest, records show.
Montiel was originally arrested May 17 by the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, which had begun investigating him upon being notified by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that suspected child pornography had been sent to an IP address associated with him. Seminole County detectives would eventually secure a search warrant for Montiel’s iPhone, which the May report notes had at one point been wiped to factory settings. Through an extraction of the phone, as well as an examination of Montiel’s iCloud and Snapchat accounts, at least 10 videos discovered within matched the criteria for child pornography, according to the initial arrest affidavit.
Months after having posted $100,000 bond and being released from jail, Montiel is now accused of having used government-restricted databases to research personal and work-related information about the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office detective who took the lead in Montiel’s arrest in May, as well as stalk her.
Montiel’s latest arrest affidavit lists his numerous alleged searches from within such databases of the detective’s name, as well as her and other detectives’ license plates, her partner’s name and her home address. The searches were performed from March to April, ahead of Montiel’s arrest in May, and were discovered through audits conducted in July. After taking notice of these searches, the detective notified her chain of command and was offered a protective detail which she declined, yet she was later issued a new unmarked agency vehicle because “it was clear” Montiel was following her current vehicle, the affidavit states.
On July 10, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office received a public records request under the surname Montiel for the detective’s timesheets and toll records, according to the affidavit.
The new vehicle was issued to the detective on July 26, the affidavit states. Just days later, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office on Aug. 2 received another public records request under the surname Montiel for the new vehicle’s toll records, what the affidavit states was a clear indicator “that James Montiel or someone on his behalf (was) surveilling (the detective) or driving by her residence to acquire the vehicles she is assigned.” It was at this point the detective requested that her and her family have a protective detail, which was granted, the affidavit states.
Further, it was found that on the day prior, Aug. 1, Montiel’s SUV was observed passing the detective’s residence three times, according to the affidavit.
Based on the findings of this investigation, it is clear that James Montiel utilized law enforcement databases to unlawfully search for information pertaining to the criminal investigation into him and to gain personal information on Seminole County Sheriff’s Office detectives, particularly (the detective in question).
Arrest affidavit | James Montiel | Aug. 5, 2024 | Lake County Sheriff's Office (excerpt from pages 6)
Come Monday, Aug. 5, one of the detective’s neighbors observed Montiel’s vehicle sitting still in their neighborhood for almost two hours. When Mount Dora police responded, Montiel was observed driving away, managing to make as many as three turns before the officers performed a traffic stop. Montiel’s vehicle was reportedly towed away and inside was found a yellow oval pill — identified as Sertraline, an antidepressant for which Montiel allegedly did not have a prescription — as well as two cellphones that have since been seized by the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.
(The detective) stated she continues to fear for her safety and the safety of her family as Montiel not only drove by her house, but stayed parked where he could watch the movements (of) her and her family.
(...)
(The detective) fears that Montiel may be surveilling her and her family in an attempt to harm her or her family as he has the ability and motive to do so.
Arrest affidavit | James Montiel | Aug. 5, 2024 | Lake County Sheriff's Office (excerpts from page 8)
After being detained and read his Miranda Warning, Montiel allegedly told Mount Dora police that he was conducting a private investigation in the neighborhood and accused the detective of “abusing the time clock.”
Montiel is being held without bond in Lake County pending bond revocation by the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office pursuant to the child pornography charges, records show.
Hired in 2006, Montiel’s fate as an Orange County deputy was originally said to be pending the outcome of his criminal proceedings, as well as that of an internal administrative investigation within his sheriff’s office. He was relieved of duty as a law enforcement officer as of April 12 and placed in a civilian role pending said outcome, the affidavit states.
News 6 reached back out to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday to verify whether that was still the case. Upon being notified of his latest arrest earlier this week, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office states it terminated Montiel.
We had otherwise previously confirmed with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office that Montiel was the same deputy who fatally shot 22-year-old Salaythis Melvin outside of the Florida Mall in August 2020.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: