Investigators say the 10-year deputy used agency databases and drove by the woman’s home after she told him to stop contacting her.
VERO BEACH, Fla. — A veteran Indian River County Sheriff’s Office deputy was arrested and fired Monday after investigators said he stalked a woman he met on social media and accessed protected law-enforcement databases to obtain her information. The deputy, identified as Samuel “Sam” Marcus Earman, was booked on one count of stalking and one count of offense against computer users.
Sheriff Eric Flowers announced the arrest during an evening news conference, calling it “an awful day” for the agency. Detectives began investigating in early October after the woman reported repeated, unwanted contact, according to the sheriff. Earman, a 10-year member of the force and the son of County Commissioner Joe Earman, was taken to the Indian River County Jail with a combined bond set at $30,000. The case is in the hands of criminal investigators; a separate internal affairs review will follow. Officials emphasized that the allegations center on persistent harassment and unauthorized database searches carried out while Earman was employed.
Detectives said the woman first met Earman on social media and made it clear she did not want further contact. In the weeks that followed, Earman repeatedly messaged her from multiple phone numbers and fake profiles, according to investigators. The sheriff said the woman told him directly, “I don’t want to talk to you,” but the contact continued. Investigators also alleged Earman drove by her home several times, at least on some occasions in a marked agency vehicle and while on duty. “He’s tarnished the badge. It’s an awful day,” Flowers said during the briefing, adding that supervisors removed Earman from duty as soon as the scope of the allegations became clear.
Officials said digital forensics and records checks show Earman used protected sheriff’s office computer systems to look up information connected to the woman without a legitimate purpose. Investigators cited those unauthorized queries, along with phone records and messages, as the basis for the offense-against-computer-users charge. The woman, whose name is being withheld by the agency, told investigators she blocked Earman on social media and on her phone but continued receiving unwanted messages from new accounts. Authorities said they are still working to determine how many times he drove by her residence and the full extent of any on-duty activity connected to the alleged stalking. The sheriff did not describe the content of the messages beyond calling them disturbing.
Earman, 35, had served with the sheriff’s office for about a decade before his firing Monday. The sheriff said the victim first came forward in early October, prompting an internal look and then a criminal probe by detectives from the agency’s major crimes and digital forensics units. During the investigation, deputies documented vehicle sightings in the woman’s neighborhood and reviewed system-access logs. Flowers said the arrest underscores “zero tolerance” for misuse of authority, noting that database systems are audited and require documented case reasons to access personal data. The agency said the victim did not report any physical harm but described escalating, unwanted contact that made her fearful.
After his arrest, Earman was held at the county jail on $30,000 bond. The sheriff’s office said it has forwarded the case to prosecutors in the 19th Judicial Circuit for formal filing decisions. A first court appearance took place Monday; an arraignment date has not yet been set. Separately, the agency opened an internal affairs case that will proceed after the criminal case. Administrative steps include a property and credentials audit, a review of all traffic stops and citizen contacts Earman made in recent months, and a compliance sweep of database access tied to his logins. Flowers said investigators will also evaluate whether any additional policy violations or criminal counts should be added based on new information.
During and after the news conference, Flowers urged anyone who may have had similar interactions with Earman to speak with detectives, saying the office wants to determine whether the case was isolated or part of a pattern. County officials confirmed Earman is the son of District 3 Commissioner Joe Earman; the commission did not issue a formal statement Monday. Outside the sheriff’s office auditorium, a handful of residents expressed frustration and support in equal measure—some praising the quick action, others asking how the behavior went undetected. “This is not who we are,” said Capt. Joe Abollo, the agency’s spokesperson. “When we saw the evidence, we moved immediately to arrest him and terminate his employment.”
As of Wednesday morning, Earman remained free on bond and the sheriff’s office said detectives are continuing interviews and data reviews. Prosecutors are expected to make a charging decision in the coming days, and the sheriff’s office plans to release additional records when they are cleared for public disclosure. The next milestone is the filing of formal charges and the scheduling of an arraignment date.
Author note: Last updated November 19, 2025.