A 29-year-old deputy sheriff in Florida is out of job and behind bars after investigators claim he sent troubling communications to a 16-year-old cadet, including telling her he was falling in love with her and wanted her to have his children.
Skylar Lamar Bush, an advisor for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office cadet program, was arrested on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, on three felony counts: Authority Figure Engaging in a Romantic Relationship with a Student, Tampering with Physical Evidence, and Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device.
The case began on Monday, when another cadet came forward and informed deputies she had seen inappropriate messages between Bush and the juvenile girl he was supposed to supervise.
This prompted an urgent investigation, and when officers contacted the victim, she confirmed the messages’ authenticity. She regarded several of Bush’s letters to her as “weird.”
According to the sheriff’s office, Bush did not stop there. He also acknowledged to erasing his text messages and urging the female to do the same. Investigators said he portrayed himself as “emotionally entangled” with the teen.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd stated in a statement that police have uncovered no evidence of physical contact between Bush and the victim, and no one has claimed any. Still, Judd made it obvious how concerned his office is about the situation.
“This 29-year-old demonstrated a gross obsession, and he attempted to groom her,” Judd stated. “I commend the cadet who stepped forward with the information before the inappropriate communications escalated.”
He also urged anybody with more information about Bush to come forward, saying, “If he’s done this to someone before, we want to know about it.”
Bush resigned from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office following the charges. According to the agency, if he had not resigned, he would have been sacked. He’d been with the department since August 2022.
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