A Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputy is facing a stalking charge after investigators say he used a traffic stop to get a woman’s phone number, then kept messaging her even after she blocked him.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office identified the deputy as Andrew Brown, 39, who has been with the agency for nine months and was assigned to the Department of Patrol Services. Brown was arrested on Friday, July 17.
According to detectives, Brown conducted a traffic stop on a woman on July 7 and obtained the woman’s phone number. The stop reportedly happened around 10:22 p.m. that night.
Hillsborough County, FL: Messages Continued Even After Being Blocked
Investigators say what happened after the stop is what led to the criminal case. Brown kept sending messages even after she blocked him, according to the sheriff’s office. The agency described the contact as continuous and unwanted, and said it was enough for detectives to move forward with charges.
Brown was formally charged with one count of stalking following the internal review of the complaint. He has now been suspended without pay while both a criminal case and an internal administrative investigation move forward, a step the sheriff’s office says is standard when a deputy is accused of serious misconduct.
Sheriff Chad Chronister addressed the arrest directly, saying deputies take on a responsibility to serve with integrity the moment they put on the uniform. He called the badge a symbol of trust and said Brown had broken that trust with his actions.
Tampa, FL: Community Reaction Splits Online
The case has drawn heavy reaction online, with many commenters saying the deputy should face the same consequences as any other citizen accused of stalking. Several pointed out that access to personal information gathered during a stop, like a phone number, comes with a responsibility not to misuse it.
Others online said they want to see the full investigation play out before concluding, noting that not all details have been made public yet.
A few commenters raised broader concerns about oversight within the department, while others said one deputy’s actions should not reflect on the agency as a whole.
For now, Brown remains suspended without pay as both investigations continue. The sheriff’s office has not released a timeline for when either the criminal case or the internal review is expected to conclude, and no additional charges have been announced at this time.
This is a sensitive topic involving allegations of stalking, and if you or someone you know is dealing with a stalking or harassment situation, I’m glad to help you find support resources if that would be useful.
