Jeffrey Epstein was granted work release in Palm Beach, Florida, after taking a widely criticized once-secret plea deal when facing allegations of sexually abusing more than 30 underage girls in 2008.

when facing allegations of sexually abusing more than 30 underage girls in 2008. During his 13-month prison term, Epstein worked in his private office 12 hours a day, six days a week, while staying in a wing of the Palm Beach County jail.

The work-release program was approved by the courts with no objections by the state, and now Palm Beach Sheriff Ric Bradshaw is investigating why.

Bradshaw oversaw the controversial work release arrangement back in 2008.

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The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office in Florida has launched an internal investigation into why convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was granted a six-day-a-week work-release program during his 13-month jail term 2008.

Epstein, who is currently facing sex-trafficking charges in New York, was granted work release in Palm Beach, Florida, after taking widely criticized once-secret plea deal when facing allegations of sexually abusing more than 30 underage girls.

While most sex offenders go to prison, Epstein instead worked in his private office 12 hours a day, six days a week, while staying in a wing of the Palm Beach County jail.

The work-release program was approved by the courts with no objections by the state, and now Palm Beach Sheriff Ric Bradshaw is investigating why.

Bradshaw actually oversaw the controversial work release arrangement back in 2008, according to the Miami Herald.

"Sheriff Bradshaw takes these matters very seriously and wants to determine if any actions taken by the deputies assigned to monitor Epstein during his work release program violated any agency rules and regulations, during the time he was on PBSO work release program," a news release provided to INSIDER said.

The Miami Herald questioned Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office about the work-release program in 2018 as part of its investigation into Epstein.

PBSO spokeswoman Therese Barbera told the paper that Epstein was eligible for work release because he did not register as a sex offender until after he was released from jail in 2009.

Read more: Jeffrey Epstein enjoyed unprecedented freedom during his 13-month jail term, but nobody will say why

"There was no factual basis to deny Mr. Epstein the same availability of this program that is offered to other inmates under similar circumstances. Mr. Epstein was closely monitored and there were no problems encountered during his time in the program," she told the Herald.

Court papers seen by the Herald listed Epstein as a convicted, though not registered, sex offender at the time of his sentencing.

At the time of Epstein's work-release, the PBSO barred registered sex offenders from the program. In a filmed interview provided to INSIDER, PBSO Chief Deputy Michael Gauger said Epstein fulfilled all requirements to receive work release. He did not detail the necessary requirements.

Epstein was denied bail on Thursday in a case almost identical to the one he faced in 2008.

Epstein pleaded not guilty to sex-trafficking charges on July 8. In the indictment, prosecutors alleged that Epstein molested girls as young as 14 in a sex trafficking operation that ran from at least 2002 to 2005.