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Meet Maurice Edwards

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Meet Maurice Edwards

February 13, 2023
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We were lucky to catch up with Maurice Edwards recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Maurice thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you in your professional career?

It has been an honor to serve the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office for the last 15 years. Throughout my career, I have received numerous awards and routinely traveled throughout the state of Florida to combat human trafficking, providing education and resources to law enforcement and civilians. However, my reputation and future in law enforcement have recently been called into question because of accusations made against me. I am writing this letter to clarify misinformation regarding these accusations in hopes that I may clear my name and continue serving the public.

Let me begin by acknowledging that I have wrongdoing in this situation, for which I take full responsibility. I unfortunately received numerous parking tickets from the City of Orlando while operating my unmarked SCSO vehicle. Instead of paying the fines upon receipt, as I should have, I opted to first notify my Sergeant (Daxter Girard) about the offenses via phone. I asked for his assistance in taking care of the tickets and he requested I send a synopsis of the case to him in an email. This email was to be considered a draft, and the wording used was intended solely for my Sergeant to review and advise on next steps. I did not sign or swear to the information contained in the email, nor was I ever asked about it any further.

Sergeant Girard sent that draft to Lieutenant Jennifer Jenkins, who then notified Captain Tracy Fortenberry. Captain Fortenberry also advised that I pay the tickets and not park illegally again. Instead of carrying out the Captain’s request, Lieutenant Jenkins involved her husband, Captain Sammy Gibson, who oversees the vice unit. My understanding based on reports from numerous Sheriff’s Office employees is that Captain Gibson then contacted Captain Thomas Johnson within the professional standards division. Captain Johnson also requested the tickets simply be paid. However, the draft email was instead turned in and the tickets dismissed without my knowledge. Captain Gibson went on to file a complaint about my conduct directly with the Sheriff wherein it was alleged that my email was a false official statement.

I believe that these actions on both the part of Lieutenant Jenkins and Captain Gibson were a personal attack on me carried out as payback for_a text message I had sent two weeks prior. This text was sent to a group of detectives in my unit about my Captain leaving (Captain Fortenberry). In it, I stated that Lieutenant Jenkins would need to step up with human trafficking and get more involved; otherwise, she could face the possibility of being removed. Without my consent, one of the detectives in the group forwarded what I said to Lieutenant Jenkins. I was later approached by Captain Fortenberry and told to be careful, because Lieutenant Jenkins had seen the message and was upset. It has also been brought to my attention that many employees of the Sheriff’s office have felt victimized in the past by Captain Gibson and Lieutenant Jenkins due to racial profiling.

After my disciplinary investigation was complete, I was able to review the interviews that were conducted with Sergeant Girard and Lieutenant Jenkins. Both were asked why they did not speak with me about the tickets or the draft email before sending it as an official statement requesting dismissal. Sergeant Girard explained that
Lieutenant Jenkins told him to turn in the letter. Yet, Lieutenant Jenkins denied this. There was no further investigation to determine who was telling the truth or why there were inconsistencies in their stories.

I have always been an honest person and an upstanding employee with no history of misconduct. As part of the Youth Intervention Services Unit, my responsibilities included the investigation of missing juveniles and human trafficking cases. I was also a Task Force Officer with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), assigned to the Innocent Images Task Force for human trafficking cases. I was the lead investigator in the first human trafficking case investigated, tried and successfully prosecuted in Seminole County. I served as the Chairman for the Seminole County Human Trafficking Task Force for many years, which provided a wide range of services to victims of human trafficking.

The awards I’ve received include the 2018 Polaris Star Award for Law Enforcement Investigation in human trafficking, the 2018 Florida Intelligence Law Enforcement Officer of the Year for human trafficking, the 2018 Certificate of Excellence awarded by Governor Rick Scott for combatting human trafficking, and the 2019 Certificate of Excellence awarded by Governor Ronald Desantis for combatting human trafficking. In addition, since this incident, I have been asked to testify as an expert witness involving human trafficking by defense attorneys.

I respectfully ask that the concerns I expressed about how my case was handled and my record of accomplishment with the Sheriff’s Office be considered when deciding my status and future here. I also kindly request that other cases with officers who have been accused of more serious violations be reviewed. For reference, Sergeant Kristen Bates and Deputy Celine Rios currently still hold their Criminal Justice Certification, were not placed on the Brady’s list and have even been promoted. It is my intention to restore my reputation and retain my position with the SCSO.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

Maurice Edwards has been with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) since 2022 and is currently the Supervisor of the Child S*x Trafficking Team within the Analytical Services
Division. He is responsible for the daily operational oversight and management of approximately 8
analysts. This team of analysts is dedicated to supporting the FBI and other local/state/federal law
enforcement agencies who are working to identify and recover child victims of trafficking, as well as to
identify and prosecute individuals involved in trafficking children.

On April 18, 2022, Mr. Edwards retired from the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office in Seminole County,
Florida. He began his career there in 2006, from 2010-2021, his responsibilities include the investigation
of missing juveniles and human trafficking cases. Mr. Edwards was a Task Force Officer with the Federal
Bureau of Investigations (FBI), assigned to the Innocent Images Task Force for human trafficking
cases. Mr. Edwards worked with local, state, and federal agencies in pursuit of the most comprehensive
response and investigation to the crime of human trafficking.

In 2015, Mr. Edwards was the lead investigator in the first human trafficking case investigated, tried and
successfully prosecuted in Seminole County. This case was a major success in Seminole County, both for
law enforcement and for the prosecutor’s office. From 2015-2021, he served as the Chairman for the
Seminole County Human Trafficking Task Force. He led the task force in connecting law enforcement,
prosecutors, and various agencies and organizations in working together to recognize human trafficking
and respond effectively.

Mr. Edwards received the following awards and accolades reference to his fight in human trafficking
during his career.

2018
• The Polaris Star Award for Law Enforcement Investigation in Human Trafficking,
• The Florida Intelligence Law Enforcement Officer of the Year
• The Certificate of Excellence awarded by former Governor Rick Scott
2019
• Another Certificate of Excellence awarded by Governor Ronald DeSan􀆟s,
2022
• The Frederick Douglass Human Trafficking award.
• The International Association of human trafficking investigators career Achievement Award.
2023
The National Law Enforcement Officer Hall of Fame Distinguished Service Award (Inducted)

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

After being reassigned the court house from being the number human trafficking Detective in central Florida due to jealous and haltered, I not only moved on to a bigger calling fighting human trafficking, but I received the following awards:

• The Frederick Douglass Human Trafficking award.
• The International Association of human trafficking investigators career Achievement Award.
2023
The National Law Enforcement Officer Hall of Fame Distinguished Service Award (Inducted)

All after they accused me of being a bad police officer due to parking tickets. My name has been cleared and I have moved on still fighting for victims.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

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