Ric Bradshaw, the sheriff of Palm Beach County, Florida, has ordered a probe into how his deputies handled financier Jeffrey Epstein's jail sentence 10 years ago, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel is reporting.
According to the newspaper, the investigation is coming amid allegations Epstein had "improper sexual contact" with at least one young woman while he was on work release from the county stockade.
"Sheriff Bradshaw takes these matters very seriously and wants to determine if any actions taken by the deputies assigned to monitor Epstein during his work release program violated any agency rules and regulations," a statement by the sheriff's department said.
The newspaper noted Epstein spent 13 months at the stockade in 2008-2009 as part of a controversial plea deal with prosecutors. He had pleaded guilty to two state prostitution charges.
Less than four months into his incarceration, Epstein was permitted to spend up to 12 hours a day, six days a week, working for his nonprofit in downtown West Palm Beach, the newspaper said.
Epstein was recently arrested and is now accused of arranging for girls under the age of 18 to perform nude "massages" and other sex acts, and of paying some girls to recruit others, from at least 2002 to 2005.
He will remain behind bars while he awaits trial, a judge ruled on Thursday.
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