Ex-Sanford officer, Ronny Neal, linked to over $12K payout in alleged fraud scheme: court documents

Sanford officer bonds out of jail after arrest on fraud charge

A former Sanford Police Officer posted bond and was released from jail, hours after he was arrested on nearly 80 charges related to an alleged fraud scheme. Ronny Neal allegedly collected an unknown amount of money -- 'at least five figures' -- in false off-duty work from the City of Sanford, prosecutors allege.

SANFORD, Fla. - A former Sanford Police officer, who is accused of stealing city money through an 11-month fraud scheme, received a payout of over $12,000 from a false account with a Sanford Apartment complex, court records say. 

Ronny Neal, 49, was arrested on Dec. 16 in connection to a fraud scheme involving off-duty details. 

The backstory:

Neal is facing charges involving 79 counts of official misconduct – which are third-degree felonies – and one count of organized fraud less than $20,000 – a second-degree felony.

In court on Wednesday, a judge set Neal's bond at $150,000. Neal has since been released from jail, a Seminole County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer confirmed on Thursday. 

Neal – who had worked with Sanford Police since 2003, was terminated on Dec. 16. 

Ronny Neal, 49, is accused of stealing money from the city of Sanford through an off-duty detail scheme. 

What is Ronny Neal accused of? 

According to the department, invoices showed that Neal worked overtime hours at Lofts at Eden – an apartment complex in Sanford – and "fabricated the detail." 

PowerDetails jobs is a specialized off-duty management program for law enforcement and public safety agencies used by Sanford for scheduling, tracking, reporting and invoicing of off-duty detail jobs. 

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The department didn't know Neal had been doing this because verifying overtime fell under his duties, Smith said. The city was never reimbursed by the apartment because Neal made up the account. The department said all the 79 falsified off-duty contracts were to Lofts of Eden. 

Chief Smith said Neal fabricated the details, as the business never had a contract with him.

Sanford’s accountant said she spoke with Neal about the missing job data and that Neal "attempted" to look for the information, but couldn’t find it. He indicated he would get her that information by November, the affidavit said. 

In November, the finance department started receiving payments for various unpaid extra duty details as far back as 2023. The affidavit said the payments appeared to be written in the same handwriting even though they came from various vendors. 

Eight money orders – totaling $6,120 – were paid to the city on the Lofts of Eden delinquent account, the affidavit said. These were paid between Nov. 8 and Nov. 24. 

How much money did Neal allegedly take? 

When asked how much money Neal profited, Smith declined to comment – citing the ongoing investigation – but said, "At least five figures." 

In an affidavit, a city accountant said payroll data showed Neal’s assignments totaled to $12,640. 

When asked if anyone was checking Neal's time card, Smith declined to comment. Smith added, "The circumstances surrounding him and how that occurred has all been corrected." 

Chief Cecil Smith on the investigation: Press Conference

What they're saying:

Chief Smith said the arrest was personally devastating, describing Neal as a friend. 

"He chose day in and day out to lie, cheat and steal from this community," an emotional Smith said during a news conference on Wednesday. "It tarnished his badge and tarnished the trust that we have garnered." 

Sanford Police Chief talks officer's arrest for fraud | Full press conference

The Sanford Police Department said the alleged fraudulent actions of one of their own – which has prompted a criminal investigation – has tarnished the reputation of trust the department has worked for in the community. During a Dec. 17 press conference, Sanford Police Chief Cecil Smith spoke about the department's investigation into Officer Ronny Neal – in tandem with the Secret Service and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement – to look into how long Neal had been using city money to pay himself for off-duty hours that he didn't serve.

Investigation timeline

• Oct. 1, 2023 to July 28, 2024: Ronny Neal allegedly created false off-duty details and was paid by the City of Sanford for the hours he made up, Sanford Police said.
• July 2024: Sanford's finance department began reviewing and reconciling unpaid vendor accounts associated with off-duty details. They found discrepancies and negative balances, the police department said.
• August 2025: Sanford's Police administration was made aware of the unresolved accounts and lack of documentation and invoices. During this time, Neal was asked to produce invoices and information to the finance department.
• October 2025: A meeting between the City of Sanford and Sanford Police Department revealed some accounts were reconciled, but a number remained unpaid.
• November 2025: A further investigation showed the unpaid accounts could be linked to criminal activity.
• December 9: Ronny Neal was relieved of duty and placed on Administrative Leave.
• December 10: Ronny Neal submitted his resignation
• December 11: Neal's resignation was accepted.
• December 11 to 15: Additional information was discovered and probable cause was established.
• December 16: Neal was arrested on a warrant and he was terminated by the police department.

What's next:

The Sanford Police Department, along with the FDLE, is investigating this active investigation. FDLE investigator Felipe Williams declined to comment further on the investigation at this time. Investigators are looking at everything from bank accounts to business accounts, the police department said.