'Justice has been done'

MILTON — Pace resident Stephen Williams was arrested on July 2 on suspicion of impersonating a Pensacola Police Department detective. July 25, the state dropped the charges.

Williams, a field team leader with the Milton Search and Rescue and owner for the Milton K-9 Academy, was arrested while assisting in the search for Escambia County resident Cassandra Robinson.

Robinson went missing in February and her body was found in July. Authorities made an arrest in the death of Robinson. Williams was not viewed as a suspect in her death.    

According to the arrest report, while Williams was out in the field, he approached several people telling them he was a PPD detective.

On July 25, the state dropped the charges for impersonating an officer due to insufficient evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The no-prosecution deposition says a witness came forward and disputed the claim.

“…[Williams] identified himself as being with the Milton Search and Rescue.” The report also says that the witness said they were passing out several flyers to people.

“Our flyers clearly have our organization's logo on them at the top,” Williams said.

All members of the search and rescue team wear shirts that have the organization’s logo on it, according to Williams. He said going forward the team will wear body cameras to help protect themselves from future scenarios like this.

“My name has been slandered,” he said. “I’m happy justice was done, though.”

Williams said he has suffered publicly by this incident, but the organization hasn’t. He also said the incident hasn’t hurt the organization's relationship with law enforcement.

“We have found three more missing people since I’ve been arrested,” he said. “While I’m sitting here talking to you I’m getting texts from Escambia County investigators.”

However, Williams said the strain of doing search and rescue is becoming too much for him. He said he is taking on one more case and then he will not go out into the field any longer.

“I need this to be my last case,” he said. “When I don’t do this I operate a K-9 academy, [and] a youth program. I like to go to church. I need I break. I want to have a normal life again.”

The Milton Search and Rescue takes cases from Milton as far as Panama City. He said that their efforts don’t stop when someone is found, regardless if they are found alive or not.

In the wake of Robinson’s death, the organization held a car wash benefit at Ollies to raise money to help her family with burial expenses.

“We go above and beyond.” Williams said.

For more information on Milton Search and Rescue, call (850) 889-2492.   

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: 'Justice has been done'