FORT PIERCE, Fla. — A fake Facebook post that falsely portrayed a St. Lucie County sheriff candidate as using a racial slur is now at the center of a criminal investigation, and defense attorneys are calling foul.
Court documents reveal the post, shared on July 19, 2023, appeared to come from a profile impersonating then-candidate Richard Del Toro. Those documents show the post included a racial slur and was sent to key political players in the county, including a commissioner, the St. Lucie County GOP, and others.
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“It was essentially blasted throughout the community,” said State Attorney’s Office Investigator Jeff Hamrick during a court hearing Monday.
Del Toro, who won the election and now serves as sheriff, reported the post as fake in July, which sparked a months-long investigation, culminating in a subpoena of former Sheriff Keith Pearson's Facebook account and an evidentiary hearing this week.
Hamrick said he obtained a search warrant for META, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, which revealed the fake post originated from a fake account under a fake name "Jambar Brown." Hamrick also said he was able to see the account was named Richard Del Toro at the time the fake post was produced, and believed the account's profile picture was taken from Del Toro's real account.
Hamrick also said a second search warrant traced the IP address used to create the fake account back to a business run by a family member of Pearson.
Hamrick testified in court that further investigation revealed the phone number linked to the account was also associated with Pearson’s home address and registered to his Social Security number.
WPTV 's Kate Hussey asked Pearson's attorney, Patrick Lawlor, if his client created the post.
"Absolutely not," said Lawlor.
"Your response to some of the evidence that’s coming out today?" Hussey asked.
"I think it’s ridiculous," Lawlor replied.
When asked if Pearson's family member, named in the court documents and also represented by Lawlor, created the post, Lawlor replied, "Not to my knowledge."
Lawlor has asked the court to remove the 19th Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office from the case, citing a conflict of interest. He pointed to State Attorney Tom Bakkedahl’s endorsement of Del Toro’s campaign in October as proof of bias.
“It’s the wolf guarding the henhouse,” Lawlor said in court.
“There’s clearly an approach and attitude toward Sheriff Pearson that would affect the impartiality of this investigation," Lawlor told Hussey.
Hamrick said the investigation is focused on potential charges of identity theft and unlawful use of a two-way communication device.
A judge has not yet decided whether the case will remain with the 19th Judicial Circuit or be reassigned to another jurisdiction.
