LAKELAND, Fla. — A 21-year-old Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputy was arrested by his own agency after he allegedly forged a woman’s name in an official report without her consent.

Jake Germak was hit with numerous charges, including forgery and using a person’s identity without their consent, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

Germak reportedly investigated a theft complaint on March 17, but “failed to get the victim to sign a document as required,” the agency said.

“Later that night, Germak attempted to call and text the victim,” deputies said. “In the first text, Germak informed the victim that he needed her to fill out a form that had to be included in the report.”

In another text, Germak told the woman he “got it handled,” according to the agency.

During a follow-up investigation on the theft the next day, the woman told deputies about the text messages Germak sent her. She added that Germak said she had signed the documents, “which she knew she did not do.”

“Detectives obtained the document that Germak had turned in with his report, and the victim’s signature did not match her signatures on other official documents,” deputies said.

When questioned, Germak admitted to signing the woman’s name to the document without her consent, prompting his arrest. Deputies mentioned that the 21-year-old had already resigned by the time he was taken into custody.

“Had he not resigned, his employment would have been terminated by the PCSO,” the agency stated.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd called the 21-year-old former deputy’s conduct “unethical and criminal.”

“Public servants must be held to a higher standard and dishonesty will not be tolerated,” Judd stated in the release.