BRADFORD COUNTY, Fla. — The Bradford County Sheriff’s Office has announced the dismissal of a correctional deputy following his arrest for allegedly misappropriating funds from an inmate at the jail.

Highland is accused of two felony counts of fraud and one misdemeanor count of petit theft, having allegedly taken money unlawfully.

On Wednesday evening, around 6:30 p.m., detectives from the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office were alerted to a theft involving $550 from an inmate’s financial account at the jail.

An internal computer audit, part of the investigation conducted by the BCSO, indicated that a correctional deputy might have deliberately siphoned the funds from the jail’s banking system.

BCSO said Highland confessed to stealing the money after waiving his Miranda Rights during an interview.

“Mr. Highland was immediately fired from the Sheriff’s Office and his corrections certification will be sent to FDLE to review for revocation,” BCSO said in a Facebook post. “He was booked into the Bradford County jail and transported to an area facility pending first appearance.”

Bradford County Sheriff Gordon Smith released the following statement after the sheriff’s office’s investigation was completed:

“To say I am disappointed is an understatement. The Bradford County Sheriff’s Office strives to be professional and beyond reproach. This individual has not only violated his oath to God and country, he has dishonored himself. I immediately fired him and and will seek to revoke his law enforcement and correctional certifications.”