2nd Sarasota Deputy Arrested In Attempted Murder Investigation

SARASOTA, FL — As one former Sarasota County Sheriff’s deputy stands accused of trying to kill a 79-year-old woman, another deputy now faces charges for allegedly covering up evidence related to the crime. The arrest of Deputy Carson Lee Plank, 23, was announced by the sheriff’s office Thursday.

Plank, a one-year veteran of the agency, “lied to detectives during the criminal investigation surrounding ex-employee Frankie Bybee,” the sheriff’s office wrote in an email to media.

Carson, the sheriff’s office said, was one of the first deputies to arrive on the scene after the elderly woman reported the murder attempt on Jan. 12. When Carson was questioned by detectives about what she found at the scene, she told them she “didn’t see anything out of the ordinary at the victim’s home,” the email said. Carson also denied having contact with Bybee since he was placed on administrative leave Dec. 20.

See also: Ex-Deputy Accused Of Attempted Murder Faces New Charges

The sheriff’s office said detectives interviewed Plank again on Jan. 19. She told a different story during that interview, the agency alleges.

“Plank admitted to locating and photographing with a cellular phone, a blood droplet with human hair, at the victim's home on January 12," the agency said in a media release. "Plank did not submit the photograph as evidence and following the January 12 incident, contacted Bybee to make him aware of the questions detectives asked her related to the attempted murder allegations. Phone records later obtained by detectives confirmed the communication between Plank and Bybee.”

Plank was placed on administrative leave after the Jan. 19 interview. She was booked into the Sarasota County Jail on Thursday, Feb. 9 on a charge of providing false information to law enforcement during an investigation. Her employment status hinges on the outcome of criminal and internal affairs investigations, the sheriff’s office said.

Bybee, 46, is accused of a long list of crimes that reportedly began shortly after he met the elderly woman in October 2016 while serving in his official capacity as a deputy. After striking up a relationship with the 79-year-old, Bybee is accused to “rehoming” her dog via Craigslist, bilking her out of more than $65,000 and attempting to end her life on Jan. 12 after an investigation into his alleged actions was opened by the sheriff’s office. Bybee is also accused of setting the woman up to appear suicidal by sending an email to her doctor using her name. Since his Jan. 23 arrest, prostitution charges have also surfaced against the former deputy.

Plank was released on her own recognizance following her Thursday arrest.

Bybee faces attempted murder, exploitation of the elderly and a host of charges related to the ongoing investigation.

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