Two Pinellas deputies accused of misusing database for stalking, one targeting a 17-year-old
By Steve Newborn
September 30, 2026 at 5:47 PM EDT
Both men resigned from the sheriff's office after being arrested and charged with multiple felonies. "Running the plate of a 17-year-old girl who you are interested in is clearly inappropriate," Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said.
Two Pinellas County deputies have been accused on unlawfully accessing law enforcement databases to stalk females, one 17-year-old girl.
Both deputies resigned after being charged with multiple felonies, Sheriff Bob Gualteri said.
The sheriff said Travis Stanton, 33, used the databases to get the teenager's address and photos. He then visited her at a local restaurant where she worked at least nine times.
"Stanton was well aware of the legal requirements to access this database and the consequences for misuse," Gualtieri said during a news conference Wednesday. "Running the plate of a 17-year-old girl who you are interested in is clearly inappropriate and clearly unlawful."
Gualtieri said law enforcement officials are required to enter a reason anytime the identification databases are accessed.
"Stanton lied and put in the verification code stating that he was quote verifying an identity," he said. "Now he was verifying an identity all right, but it was not for official reasons, and it was because he was interested in this 17-year-old high school student."
Stanton was placed on unpaid administrative leave during an investigation and resigned on Sept. 25. He was arrested Wednesday and charged with unlawfully accessing the computer network and official misconduct. Gualtieri said Stanton was booked into the Pinellas County Jail and released on $10,000 bond.
The other deputy, Karl Gwynne, was accused of using five law enforcement databases — a total of 381 times — to get information on a woman he was interested in dating.
Gualtieri said Gwynne let the woman and her mother stay in a condo he owns and bought her gifts. The sheriff said Gwynne wanted to date the woman while she continued to reject his advances, saying she wanted to be just friends.
Gwynne was taken into custody Wednesday and charged with four counts of access computer electronic device without authority and one count of official misconduct. He was released from the Pinellas jail on $25,000 bond.
"They knew what they did was wrong, especially with a 17-year-old girl," Gualtieri said. "Both of them are clearly wrong."
Both deputies resigned after being charged with multiple felonies, Sheriff Bob Gualteri said.
The sheriff said Travis Stanton, 33, used the databases to get the teenager's address and photos. He then visited her at a local restaurant where she worked at least nine times.
"Stanton was well aware of the legal requirements to access this database and the consequences for misuse," Gualtieri said during a news conference Wednesday. "Running the plate of a 17-year-old girl who you are interested in is clearly inappropriate and clearly unlawful."
Gualtieri said law enforcement officials are required to enter a reason anytime the identification databases are accessed.
"Stanton lied and put in the verification code stating that he was quote verifying an identity," he said. "Now he was verifying an identity all right, but it was not for official reasons, and it was because he was interested in this 17-year-old high school student."
Stanton was placed on unpaid administrative leave during an investigation and resigned on Sept. 25. He was arrested Wednesday and charged with unlawfully accessing the computer network and official misconduct. Gualtieri said Stanton was booked into the Pinellas County Jail and released on $10,000 bond.
The other deputy, Karl Gwynne, was accused of using five law enforcement databases — a total of 381 times — to get information on a woman he was interested in dating.
Gualtieri said Gwynne let the woman and her mother stay in a condo he owns and bought her gifts. The sheriff said Gwynne wanted to date the woman while she continued to reject his advances, saying she wanted to be just friends.
Gwynne was taken into custody Wednesday and charged with four counts of access computer electronic device without authority and one count of official misconduct. He was released from the Pinellas jail on $25,000 bond.
"They knew what they did was wrong, especially with a 17-year-old girl," Gualtieri said. "Both of them are clearly wrong."