The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that Florida’s sheriff deputy, Jason Cooke, has resigned after being accused of stealing a dying man’s medication.
Cooke illegally entered the man’s home after it was hit by a power outage during Hurricane Irma. Cooke was captured by the homeowner’s children on surveillance cameras inside the home in Boynton Beach.
The event occurred on September 12th around 9:22 A.M. two days after Hurricane Irma struck the town. The Palm Beach Sheriff Department was called to the home of 85-year-old Moe Rosoff, who remained inside his house during the catastrophic natural disaster.
It was Mr. Rosoff’s son who had requested the police to check on his father because he was worried about his condition. He also said the cameras failed to pick up any movement inside the house.
The officers found Mr. Rosoff lying on the floor of his master bathroom. Jay Rosoff – the homeowner’s son – believes his father had fallen and hit his head when the storm cut the power. Mr. Rosoff was rushed to a hospital where he passed away soon after arrival.
Jay and his brother, Steven Rosoff, received an alert of movement inside the house about 90 minutes after the incident occurred. When they reviewed the camera footage, they saw Cooke entering the residence through the garage at around 10:55 in the morning.
Palm Bch Sheriff’s Office announces resignation of Jason Cooke, deputy charged w- stealing painkillers from elderly h-cane victim. @CBS12 pic.twitter.com/NoY4aY67oK
— Chuck Weber (@ChuckWeber12) October 26, 2017
The Rosoff’s brothers immediately reported the incident to the police. The video shows Deputy Cooke going through Mr. Rosoff’s cabinets, emptying the containers, and pocketing items that were later identified as narcotic painkillers and antipsychotics.
Police say they didn’t ever give an order for Cooke to return to the house. Given the accusation, police searched Cooke’s vehicle, where they found 60 pills of controlled medications.
https://www.facebook.com/eyewitnessnewstv/videos/1877281528953067/
Before the investigation took place, Cooke was suspended without pay. He was arrested on Thursday but was promptly released after paying a $28,000 bond on Friday. Cooke faces several charges, including burglary while armed during a state of emergency and unlawful possession of prescription drugs.
Deputy Jason Cooke on paid leave from PBSO, accused of stealing prescription meds from elderly man. He was caught on surveillance vid @CBS12 pic.twitter.com/RuP5hQCAnW
— Kristen Chapman (@KChapmanReports) October 25, 2017
Cooke is still under investigation, but the sheriff’s office already released a statement on ABC News regarding the situation.
“The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office holds its employees to the highest standards and never forgets about its duty to preserve the public’s trust. Unfortunately, sometimes an employee makes a bad decision which leads to misconduct. This misconduct was reported, investigated and subsequently determined to be criminal in nature, resulting in the charges. The Sheriff’s Office will remain vigilant to ensure that our efforts are professional and meet the high standards that the public has come to expect.”
The Rosoff family also released a statement of their own, saying, “Had we not had this video, this cop would still be out there posing a threat of danger to the community. It is our hope that the justice system treats this cop like any other criminal out there, and that he doesn’t receive further preferential treatment because he is a police officer.”
PBSO deputy Jason Cooke, charged with grand theft and armed burglary committed crimes while on duty, reports @Thomas_Forester from court. pic.twitter.com/zWvbB2EJeT
— Gary Detman (@GaryDetmanNews) October 20, 2017
Article inspired by ABC News // Deputy caught on video burglarizing home of hurricane victim, authorities say