ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – Charges have been dropped against a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer who was accused of three counts of child porn possession in St. Johns County, according to court records.
William Lee Lawshe, 53, of St. Augustine, resigned before being fired, the FWC said last year.
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According to his attorneys, Lawshe was unlawfully arrested and falsely charged and his reputation and career were destroyed.
His attorneys said Lawshe was able to obtain evidence that “definitively and conclusively” proved his innocence and the charges were dropped on Dec. 27.
“Multiple lawsuits have been filed in Federal and State Courts alleging significant violations of law by St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, The University of Florida Child Protection Team, and Verizon. These cases raise serious concerns about the use of algorithms and artificial intelligence in the reporting and investigation of alleged cyber-crimes,” his defense attorneys wrote in a news release. “Additional litigation is anticipated against Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.”
Lawshe had been an FWC officer since 2008 and was named the national wildlife officer of the year in 2014 after he rescued a man trapped for days in a Flagler County swamp.
Prior to becoming an FWC officer, Lawshe served in the U.S. Army as a light infantry fire team leader.
News4JAX had previously featured Lawshe in a story in 2019 when he shared about his lifelong battle with Lyme disease.
“Mr. Lawshe hopes that his experience will lead to substantive changes in the way alleged internet crimes are investigated. At this time, as he continues to process what has happened to him and his family, he asks that all questions be directed to his lawyers,” his attorneys wrote.