SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. – Two Sumter County commissioners were suspended Thursday amid an ongoing perjury investigation, according to an executive order signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Gary Robert Search and Oren Miller, who represent Sumter County in Districts 1 and 5 respectively, are currently facing felony charges for providing false information under oath.
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“The initial allegations were that Oren Miller was using his wife, Angela Fox, as a conduit to communicate ongoing commission agenda-related items to other commissioners, specifically Gary Robert Search in hopes to sway the outcome of the issues at hand,” a statement from court records show.
According to officials, the state attorney’s office launched an investigation into Search and Miller, both 71, after they lied under oath about exchanging phone conversations dating back to January 2021.
A Marion County probable cause affidavit shows the men received multiple complaints about violating Florida Sunshine Laws by using Miller’s wife to communicate commission agendas to Search.
Both commissioners were elected in 2020 and slated to serve a four-year term.