Former Lee County deputy accused of sending explicit photos to minor

A former Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputy has been arrested after allegedly sending explicit messages and photos to a minor.

According to LCSO, in May, the sheriff’s office received a cyber tip about a man communicating online with a 17-year-old. 

The conversations reportedly contained explicit content and photos.

Detectives with the Innocent Images Unit identified the man as 51-year-old Bryon Haycook.  Haycook, who LCSO had employed, was questioned and resigned shortly after.

He served the county for more than 30 years and even received a commendation from the sheriff for his service after Hurricane Ian.

We spoke with Kristen Ziman, retired police chief and WINK News safety and security expert, about the investigation.

“It’s interesting because you can look at an individual’s personnel file and see commendations, and then something like this comes out of nowhere,” Ziman said.

In May of this year, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office got a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about a man sending photos to a teenage girl.

That man was later identified as Haycook.

“This also emphasizes the responsibility and the collaboration that we have with the public and the community. If someone knows something is occurring like this, then the right thing to do is report it. It’s a hard thing to do, but it’s the right thing to do,” Ziman said.

On Thursday, a warrant for Transmission of Material Harmful to a Minor was issued for Haycook. 

That same day, Haycook turned himself into the Lee County Jail.