A sheriff in Florida ordered an internal investigation Friday into whether deputies violated any rules while monitoring Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy New York financier, on a work-release program a decade ago.

The announcement from Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of Palm Beach County came a few days after a lawyer, Bradley Edwards, accused Mr. Epstein of engaging in “improper sexual contact” during the time he spent outside jail while he was serving time for state charges of soliciting prostitution.

Mr. Edwards represents a number of women with allegations about Mr. Epstein, who is now facing sex-trafficking charges in Manhattan that could result in a 45-year prison sentence if he is convicted.

An investigator working with Mr. Edwards said in an interview Friday that the work-release allegation originated from two women who said they had been brought from another state at the age of 18 to visit Mr. Epstein at his office.