INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. — A former Indian River County deputy accused of exchanging explicit content with underage girls has been offered a plea deal—just over a year after his arrest shocked the department that had just hired him.
Kai Cromer, 19 at the time, had only served one day as a deputy before being arrested by the very agency that swore him in.
WATCH: Attorney for one alleged victim voices frustrations over plea deal
According to the arrest affidavit, Cromer contacted 16- and 17-year-old girls on Snapchat, asking for nude photos and sexually explicit videos. Investigators say both teens sent him explicit content—and that Cromer, in turn, sent them explicit videos of himself.
In messages obtained by authorities, the 16-year-old reminded Cromer she was underage. He replied, “I know how to keep a secret.” The 17-year-old said she was reluctant to comply with his requests but described him as “very manipulative and demanding.”
“He’s telling these young girls, ‘I’m a deputy. I’m going to be a deputy. I’m a powerful person. Send me these pictures,’” Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers said after Cromer’s 2024 arrest. “He’s essentially forcing them to do it.”
Cromer was initially charged with one count of possession of child pornography and two counts of lewd computer solicitation of a child. If convicted, he faced a minimum sentence of 33 months in prison and mandatory sex offender registration.
Now, the State Attorney’s Office has offered him a significantly reduced plea deal.
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Under the proposed agreement, Cromer would plead guilty to three amended counts of Possession of Obscenity Harmful to Minors. The state is offering a sentencing cap of eight months in county jail for the first count, followed by three years of sex offender probation—including a psychosexual evaluation and mandatory therapy.
The remaining two counts would each carry two years of standard felony probation, served consecutively. Cromer would also be required to surrender his state law enforcement certification.
Notably, he would not have to register as a sex offender under the deal.
The plea has sparked strong opposition from attorney Ashley Minton, who represents one of the alleged victims.
“We were very emphatic that we, one, want him to be registered as a sex offender and two, want him to serve time in prison,” said Minton.
“For the state to just pre-concede that we’re going to do a cap of eight months for a person who is in a position of trust, in a position of authority, and out asking juveniles to send nude photographs of themselves is incredibly problematic,” Minton said.
Minton said there is a chance the judge could reject the deal. But Cromer’s attorney, Andrew Metcalf, says the deal is appropriate.
“To make a 19-year-old a convicted sex offender for the rest of his life for what he’s being accused of doing is not appropriate,” Metcalf said.
Metcalf says there are still lifelong consequences in the plea deal.
“The results of this plea are that he’s going to be a convicted felon the rest of his life," he said.
Minton feels her client’s wishes should have been considered before offering the plea deal. Minton wrote multiple letters to the state informing prosecutors her client does not support the deal.
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“They continue to not be properly heard by the state,” Minton said.
Metcalf argues a victim’s wishes do not always guide the trajectory of a case.
“Marsy’s law does not say, rightfully so, that alleged victims dictate what goes on in the criminal justice system,” Metcalf said.
The State Attorney’s Office is not commenting, citing the pending case. The plea will be considered during an October court hearing.
Since Cromer’s arrest and termination, Sheriff Eric Flowers has changed his hiring age to 21.