News >> Browse Articles >> Crime News

Sheriff: Officer Gave Up 19-Year Career for $200

Lakeland Police Officer Troy Young.

A Lakeland police officer was accused Monday of checking license plate numbers for a woman connected to missing Lotto millionaire Abraham Shakespeare.

Polk County Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested Troy McKay Young, 42, on charges of unlawful compensation, which is a felony, and misuse of confidential information, a misdemeanor.

“For a check of $200 and a plane ticket for his daughter, he gave up a 19-year career with the Lakeland Police Department,” Polk Sheriff Grady Judd said Monday.

Young was booked into the Polk County Jail on Monday and was released on $5,500 bail. He did not return phone messages left by The Ledger.

Lakeland police Chief Roger Boatner said Young will remain on paid suspension until the department finishes an internal review.

Investigators say Young provided Dorice “DeeDee” Moore of Lakeland with information obtained through law enforcement data bases and that he was paid for the information.

Young admitted he had given Moore information about the identities of vehicle owners after she provided him with tag numbers, PCSO detectives say.

Moore is considered a “person of interest” in the ongoing investigation of Abraham Shakespeare’s disappearance.

According to Young’s arrest report, in December a detective searched Moore’s cell phone, with permission, and found “Troy Young” text messages with Moore’s asking Young to run license tags.

Once, Moore specifically asked, “Check if this is a cop,” the arrest report said.

In that text message asking about a police car, Judd said Moore was asking specifically about a sheriff’s undercover vehicle. “She was off by one digit,” Judd said.

The report said Young admitted being given a plane ticket for his daughter’s use.

The ticket was a Texas-to-Florida round trip, Judd said. He said Moore also gave Young a $200 check.

The ticket was to pay for Young’s checking several tags and for other services. The report said Young did things for Moore such as giving her advice about legal questions and witnessing her opening a safe deposit box.

Shakespeare was reported missing by a family member in November. Investigators said his family and friends told them they hadn’t seen or heard from him since April.

Other Top News:

• Ga. Police Upgrade to .40-Caliber Sidearms to Counter Criminals
• Man Arrested for Driving with Pants Down, Blames Doughnut
• NH Woman Charged with DWI 3 Times In A Week
• Video: Courtroom Brawl