Florida deputy demanded K-9, clean record before wired office caught extortion plot: HCSO

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Published November 5, 2026 6:37 AM EST

The Brief

    • Hendry County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested K-9 Deputy Braxton Haight on a felony extortion charge.
    • Authorities said the deputy threatened to release an embarrassing video unless the sheriff gave him his police dog.
    • Investigators wiretapped a Tuesday afternoon meeting where the deputy allegedly demanded a clean personnel record.

PORT LABELLE, Fla. -  A K-9 deputy with the Hendry County Sheriff's Office was arrested on Tuesday after he allegedly threatened to leak an embarrassing recording unless officials wiped his record and let him keep his police dog. 

Hendry County extortion arrest

What we know:

Sheriff Steve Whidden announced the arrest of 27-year-old K-9 Deputy Braxton Haight on Tuesday under Florida Statute 836.05 for extortion. Haight left a voicemail Tuesday asking the sheriff to call him back regarding an urgent matter that was "in everyone’s best interest to talk about," according to the sheriff. When Whidden returned the call, Haight reportedly stated he knew the agency was attempting to fire him and claimed he had documents he would release publicly if his demands went unmet. 

Investigators say the deputy asked Whidden to hand over his police K-9 dog and clear his personnel file of any disciplinary actions. In response, Whidden arranged an in-person meeting with Haight to discuss the terms. 

Secret recording inside annex

The backstory:

According to the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office, the meeting happened around 4 p.m. Tuesday at the Hendry County Port LaBelle Annex. Investigators said they pre-wired the office with audio equipment and recorded video before Haight arrived. 

During the sit-down, Haight reportedly told Whidden he possessed a recording of a sheriff's deputy making a derogatory comment. Haight called the recording "a little bit of insurance" that would make the agency look bad, threatening to release it publicly if officials refused his conditions, according to HCSO. 

Detectives immediately took Haight into custody on a felony extortion charge following the recorded meeting.

What we don't know:

Officials have not confirmed the identity of the deputy heard on the alleged derogatory recording, nor have they released the specific disciplinary issues that originally prompted the agency to seek Haight's firing. 

Haight is being held at the Hendry County Jail on a $10,000 bond.

The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Hendry County Sheriff's Office, which detailed the investigation, undercover recording, and subsequent arrest in an official agency statement. 

FloridaCrime and Public Safety