A Deerfield Beach house party ended in a criminal investigation this week after a 25-year-old former Broward Sheriff’s Office detention deputy was accused of sexually assaulting one woman and strangling another guest, according to detectives. Authorities identified the suspect as Edwin Horace, who was taken into custody Tuesday and removed from the agency’s ranks after his arrest. He faces multiple counts of sexual battery and false imprisonment, along with a strangulation charge tied to an alleged dating-violence incident. Detectives with BSO’s Special Victims Unit say the case remains active and that more details could surface as the probe moves forward.
As reported by CBS Miami, a woman told investigators she was sexually assaulted early Monday morning at a Deerfield Beach house party. When detectives questioned Horace, he said the encounter was consensual. According to CBS Miami, BSO’s Special Victims Unit arrested Horace on Tuesday and initially booked him on two counts of sexual battery and one count of false imprisonment.
What the charges mean under Florida law
Under Florida law, non-fatal strangulation is treated as its own felony offense. Domestic battery by strangulation is outlined in Florida Senate materials and is generally charged as a third-degree felony. False imprisonment falls under Chapter 787 and can also be prosecuted as a felony depending on the circumstances; see Justia for the statutory language. Sexual battery is covered in Chapter 794 and carries penalties that vary with the nature of the alleged conduct, with legal primers detailing a wide range of possible prison terms and long-term consequences for anyone convicted.
BSO response
The Broward Sheriff’s Office says Horace was fired immediately after his arrest and that the agency is working with detectives as the investigation continues. “On and off-duty, I expect all employees to conduct themselves lawfully and with decency,” Sheriff Dr. Gregory Tony said, calling the allegations “deeply disturbing and concerning,” as reported by CBS Miami. The Special Victims Unit led the arrest, and detectives say they are continuing to pursue leads.
Local context
The case lands in the middle of a series of South Florida incidents in which current or former law enforcement employees have faced sex-crime allegations. In one example, a former BSO detention deputy was later convicted of sexual battery on a child, a case covered by WPTV. That prosecution underscored that criminal cases can move forward even after an officer leaves the agency and has helped fuel calls from community members for tighter oversight, hiring, and supervision policies…