Arrest of Florida CIO Prompts Resignation

Florida chief information officer Roy Cales has resigned his post after being charged with grand theft in connection with a 1996 forgery incident.

Cales turned himself in to the Leon County Jail Aug. 30 after a grand theft warrant was issued for his arrest, said the Leon County Sheriff's Office.

The arrest was unrelated to Cales employment with the Florida State Technology Office, where he had served as CIO since 1999. Cales was placed on administrative leave July 18 while the sheriff's office investigated the charges.

According to the office, Cales obtained a loan from a local bank for $13,280 in 1996 for computer equipment his business was providing to a local television station.

When applying for the loan, Cales allegedly provided the bank a letter with the forged signature of the business manager of the television station. The letter was addressed to Cales and promised to make a joint payment for services rendered to Cales' company, Integrity Data Inc., and the bank. The bank approved the loan based on the letter.

Integrity Data went out of businesses, and Cales filed for bankruptcy. The bank contacted the television station to attempt to recover the remaining loan balance of $5,855.37.

The business manager of the television station told police she had no knowledge of the letter and pointed out that her name was forged and misspelled on the letter.

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said Aug. 30 he was saddened by Cales' resignation and thanked him for his service to the people of Florida.

"It is with a heavy heart that I have accepted the resignation today of Roy Cales as head of the State Technology Office. Roy is my friend, and I am grateful for his service to the people of Florida," Bush said.

"The crimes which Roy is accused of committing are serious, but we must affirm that public officials enjoy the same presumption of innocence afforded to all of us," he said.