Sheriff: GOP donor, DeSantis ally Kent Stermon under 'active investigation' weeks before death

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Kent Stermon, a salient Jacksonville-area Republican donor and person of Gov. Ron DeSantis found dormant successful his car Thursday night, was nether “active investigation” by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

“Mr. Stermon was the taxable of an progressive probe by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s office, which began fewer weeks anterior to his death,” Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters told POLITICO. “This probe remains ongoing astatine this clip and volition proceed until its complications.”

Waters said that due to the fact that the probe remains active, determination is “limited accusation disposable to merchandise astatine this time.”

Stermon was president of Jacksonville-area defence contractor Total Military Management. Since 2017, helium had fixed $140,000 successful authorities governmental contributions, of which $50,000 went to a governmental committee aligned with DeSantis.

Stermon’s abrupt decease sent daze waves done Florida’s governmental world, particularly Republican circles wherever Stermon was known arsenic a Republican donor and adjacent DeSantis ally. While successful serving successful Congress, DeSantis lived successful a Flagler County condo co-owned by Stermon erstwhile redistricting drew him retired of his seat, DeSantis made him a subordinate of his modulation team, and DeSantis appointed him to the Board of Governors implicit the authorities assemblage strategy successful 2019.

“The Governor and First Lady were shocked and saddened to perceive of Kent’s passing, and their prayers (and our full office’s prayers) are with his household during this hard time,” the governor’s bureau said Friday.

“We are profoundly saddened to perceive of the passing of Governor Kent Stermon,” Board of Governors officials said successful a statement. “For the past 3 years, Kent has served connected this committee with distinction. He has been a champion of higher acquisition and pupil occurrence successful Florida and a long-time protagonist of the University of North Florida successful galore ways passim the years. The Board of Governors sends its heartfelt condolences to Kent’s household during this hard time.”