A Sheriff’s Office Under Fire? Major Dale Evans Exposes Alleged Misconduct and Retaliation

Wakulla Reports is a voice on the Forgotten Coast, shining a light on stories that demand to be heard. Today, we stand with Major Dale Evans, a veteran of the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO), who alleges a shocking pattern of misconduct, retaliation, and abuse of power by Sheriff Miller, Colonel Whaley, and several other WCSO staff members. Wakulla Reports does not endorse the views of Evans or the WCSO; we’re giving this dedicated deputy a platform to demand accountability. Backed by emails, a 2017 DOJ report, and a 2024 arrest scandal involving Commissioner Mike Kemp and Deputy Newsome, Evans’ claims expose a Sheriff’s Office in crisis. This is Part 1 of a two-part series, tying Evans’ fight to a broader web of dissent in Wakulla County. Stay with us as we unravel the details—and ask why Commissioner Ralph Thomas was never questioned in a high-profile case.

A Veteran’s Stand Against a Toxic System

Major Dale Evans, a decades-long WCSO veteran in the Special Operations Division, has come forward with allegations of a hostile workplace, retaliation, and systemic misconduct from 2023 to 2025, forcing him into early retirement and costing him over $1 million in benefits. His claims, detailed in letters and emails, accuse Sheriff Miller and his inner circle of targeting critics and protecting selective insiders. A 2017 DOJ report on Whaley’s past and a 2024 arrest scandal fuel Evans’ narrative, set against Wakulla County’s growing unrest over governance. This first part dives into Evans’ allegations and the arrests that shook our community.

2023: A Toxic Workplace Under Sheriff Miller

In 2023, while working in the WCSO Administration building, Evans claims Sheriff Miller verbally abused employees and made inappropriate comments to female staff. One alleged incident involved Miller instructing an assistant to wear a revealing outfit for a public event, leaving her humiliated. Another saw Miller berating an employee with derogatory insults about their family, threatening financial ruin. Evans says these outbursts were so severe that senior officers locked administration doors to hide them. Multiple employees, including senior staff, reportedly witnessed or experienced this behavior.

On February 7, 2023, Evans filed a formal complaint with HR Director Lamarche, claiming whistleblower status under WCSO policy. He says Miller met with him, promised to stop, and committed to a harassment-free workplace. But Evans alleges this was a facade, setting the stage for retaliation.

Retaliation Begins: A Second Complaint

By March 3, 2023, Evans claims Miller turned on him. In an email to Lamarche, cc’d to Undersheriff Jones, he wrote: “Since that meeting, [Miller] has personally started retaliating towards me, telling employees and non-employees he has not forgot and he is going to get me (which is documented and already have sworn statements from several individuals).” He alleges Miller told Major Johnson, an African American officer with over 20 years of shared history with Evans, that Evans was a “racist” and untrustworthy. Evans called this “tortious interference with employment,” saying it damaged his reputation and created a hostile environment where he felt like he was “walking on eggshells.” He filed a federal EEOC complaint and added this as a second complaint to his original.

Evans says an internal investigation “sustained” his accusations, with Jones approving the findings. Miller apologized, claiming the complaints made him a “better person,” but Evans says the retaliation only grew.

2024: A Political Vendetta and Arrests

In 2024, Evans alleges the retaliation targeted his allies, particularly former WCSO Major Mike Kemp, then a County Commissioner. Evans claims Miller stated that “he had something for him (Kemp) and that corrupt ass David Edwards”, with several other officers discussing plans to purge the “old Wakulla” guard, including Evans and Kemp. When Evans solved a vandalism case tied to Kemp’s campaign signs in August 2024, he says these officers were furious, accusing Kemp of “weaponizing” the WCSO.

On August 30, 2024, WCTV reported the arrests of Mike Kemp, Deputy Newsome, and R. Whaley, a citizen and then admin of a well-known community page (not to be confused with Colonel Whaley) for a doxxing incident targeting an innocent resident mistaken for “Thunder Lightening,” an anonymous Facebook critic, who criticized Kemp, Commissioner Ralph Thomas, and R. Whaley’s political and community stances. On May 6, 2024, R. Whaley posted a WebElect voter printout (name, DOB, address, voter ID, party affiliation) on the “Wakulla Citizens” page, sourced from Kemp via Commissioner Ralph Thomas. A text from R. Whaley to Kemp read, “Tell me that Thunder guy’s real name about to bust him out.” Newsome allegedly misused a law enforcement database to tip Kemp off about a complaint. Charges included criminal use of personal identification to harass (Kemp, R. Whaley), witness tampering (Kemp), and database misuse (Newsome). Body cam footage captured Kemp driving by the victim’s home during the complaint response. Arraignments were delayed to January 9, 2025, with State Attorney Jack Campbell citing election timing concerns. Kemp lost his re-election bid to Valerie Russell, in August 2024.

Evans accuses Ormerod of falsifying the arrest report and deliberately bypassing an interview with Ralph Thomas—a figure who could have shed critical light on the case. Despite being the source of the voter data that fueled the doxxing, Thomas was never questioned. His absence from the investigation raises a glaring question: Why was a central player (page 70 of the report) left untouched? The silence speaks volumes, hinting at selective scrutiny in a case that rattled Wakulla County.

What’s Next?

Evans’ story is only half-told. In Part 2, we’ll dive into a questionable 2024 investigation targeting Evans, a shocking revelation about Kemp’s Reserve Deputy status, and the troubling arrest of Newsome for actions that may have been part of his job. We’ll ask again: Why was Ralph Thomas never questioned despite being listed as a principal person of interest (page 70 in the final report) in the investigation? Stay tuned as we unravel the rest of this saga.

Link to Part 2

Author's note: Wakulla Reports has reviewed the emails and documentation provided by Major Evans. To protect the integrity of any potential pending legal claims we are not publishing the records. You may request the records from WCSO using the dates and other information provided in Parts 1 and 2 of this blog.