Surveillance efforts conducted by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office that led to the arrest of an officer on theft and misconduct charges started when authorities received information accusing the officer of illegal sexual activity with prostitutes, according to an internal affairs report.

Adam R. Boyd, 44, faces charges of grand theft, petty theft and official misconduct in Duval County, according to court records, but the State Attorney's Office has decided not to pursue the sexual battery charge because of a lack of evidence.

Although the internal investigation found a "preponderance of evidence to prove" the officer committed sexual battery, The State Attorney's Office declined to pursue the charge "due to the likelihood of not receiving a conviction," according to the report.

"As with any case, the burden of prosecution is much higher than probable cause. While probable cause is enough to sustain an internal affairs complaint, the State has to prove a crime beyond a reasonable doubt. The State has no physical evidence or witnesses in this matter and cannot prosecute this case," said Jackelyn Barnard, spokeswoman for the State Attorney's Office.

Boyd is a 14-year Jacksonville police veteran who was placed on emergency suspension after he was arrested April 14, police said.

He was officer of the month in November for helping confiscate several slabs of crack cocaine and other drugs, according to the Sheriff's Office website.

Detectives working an unrelated human trafficking investigation interviewed two known prostitutes in January who told them about an ongoing sexual relationship with an officer, according to the report.

According to the report, the prostitutes did not know the officer's name but one of them identified Boyd when she was shown a photo spread with five other officers.

Boyd was put under surveillance afterward by internal affairs in February and March, according to the report. Investigators then learned he was collecting payment for secondary jobs he did not complete, according to the report.

Boyd was paid for providing security at apartment complexes and shopping malls. It involved about $800 and records that were falsified to indicate he was at the work sites, police said.

That led to an arrest warrant that was obtained on the theft and misconduct charges April 13, according to the report.

When officers are employed by private groups, they still have full police authority and the surveillance efforts showed he was not working the security details as long as the reports he filed said he was, according to the report.

The report said investigators also found Boyd was having frequent consensual sexual relations with one of the prostitutes for money. It said he was also forcing a second prostitute to have sex while wearing his uniform and armed with a gun.

According to the report, that prostitute told investigators she was afraid she would be arrested on both occasions if she didn't comply with the officer's sexual demands.

Boyd was also using his marked patrol car to travel to locations to have sex with the prostitutes, although it's unclear if he was on-duty while doing so, according to the report.

According to a statement in the report from the State Attorney's Office, "probably cause does exist to arrest Boyd for sexual battery." However, a lack of evidence and additional witnesses were cited as reasons for not filing that charge against Boyd.

Joe Daraskevich: (904) 359-4308