Carlos Galarza-Veve

Charlotte Sun (AP)

PUNTA GORDA -- A Charlotte County Sheriff’s deputy has been reprimanded for using the department’s sophisticated database system to obtain information on a private citizen without permission from his superiors or any reason to do so.

The citizen targeted is Andrew Sheets, who told the Sun this week he’s had a bullseye on his back since he launched Charlotte County Cop Watch -- a social media forum that tracks alleged corruption and abuses by law enforcement -- three years ago. Sheets claims Cop Watch gets about 2.5 million views a month and has had some 36 million views since its inception.

"Law enforcement in Charlotte County hates me big time," Sheets said.

The self-described libertarian and government watchdog said he saw his personal information -- name, address, website and phone number -- posted on a forum associated with the LEO Affairs website -- after he posted an uncomplimentary comment about the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.

"They put all my information on three different chat rooms," Sheets told the Sun.

Doing a little investigative work on his own, and with help of a local attorney, Sheets determined that Deputy Robert Tuck used the DAVID database system at the sheriff’s office to compile his personal information. DAVID is an acronym for Driver and Vehicle Information Database.

"He did the hit, and he did the search," Sheets said

A complaint made by Sheets against Tuck in the sheriff’s office about three weeks ago led to a letter of reprimand against the deputy. The Sun obtained a copy of the reprimand letter.

A sheriff’s spokesman confirmed that a letter of reprimand was issued last week by Maj. Michael Anderson against Tuck. Although Sheets asked for an Internal Affairs investigation into the matter, sheriff’s spokesman Skip Conroy told the Sun that the DAVID database incident has been addressed with the letter ?of reprimand.

"The DAVID incident is what we call an 'observed infraction’ and there is no need for an investigation," Conroy said. "The incident was handled as that, an 'observed infraction,’ and the deputy was disciplined as noted."

The letter of reprimand states in part that Tuck accessed the DAVID database "to obtain information without having official business to do so.

"You are admonished that you are to follow all Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office policy and procedures," the letter continues. "You are also cautioned that further violations of this nature may result in more stringent disciplinary action."

Sheets was not impressed with the way the sheriff’s office handled his complaint.

"A letter of reprimand is a joke," Sheets said.

Sheets told the Sun that he also asked the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate the matter. The 51-year-old Sheets said he’s also considering suing the sheriff’s office over the matter.

The incident is not helpful to Sheriff Bill Prummell, a Republican, who is engaged in a re-election campaign against Democratic Party candidate Jim Melo and Ed Pope, who is running without party affiliation. The office is up for grabs in the November general election.