A Volusia County’s beach patrol officer is under arrest for allegedly having repeated sexual encounters with a 16-year old girl he met while she was sunbathing on the beach. Police investigators say he also secretly videotaped some of his sexual encounters with the teen.
The 44-year-old beach patrol officer Robert “Bobby” Paul Tameris was arrested following a joint investigation by the State Attorney’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Volusia County Department of Public Protection. Following the arrest at his Port Orange home on Wexford Way Tuesday evening, State Attorney’s Investigators also executed a search warrant.
According to the investigation, Tameris had sex with the 16-year-old 20 to 25 times between fall of 2007 and spring of 2008.
The arrest affidavit says Tameris also videotaped the sex and while he was investigated for the past couple of months, sent the 16-year-old a lewd photo of his genitals.
The charge, unlawful sex with a minor, could carries up to 15 years in prison.
Tameris who is represented by attorney Mike Lambert appeared this afternoon before Volusia County Judge Dawn Fields, who left his bail at $250,000. Prosecutor would not object to the bond being lowered to $100,000, but Tameris’ attorney, Mike Lambert, declined that offer on the basis that Tameris would have not easier time posting a $100,000 bond than a $250,000 bond. According to Lambert, the county’s bond schedule calls for bail to be set at $2,500.
This arrest followed a previous investigation, conducted earlier this year that did not result in any charges.
In the previous case, a 17-year-old girl who worked as a Volusia County lifeguard accused three county employees, including Tameris, of having sexual encounters with her. In this case, the FDLE investigation and the State Attorney’s Office concluded there was insufficient evidence for charges to be brought against the trio.
According to Volusia County spokesman Dave Byron Tameris who has been with the county for more than 20 years has been suspended without pay.
Editor’s Note: OrmondBeach.Net attempted to obtain a booking photograph of Tameris by filling a public information request. The request was denied by Volusia County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Gary Davidson who wrote:
I am unable to provide you with the requested photo. The explanation is as follows:
Florida statute, Chapter 119.071(4)(d)1.a, exempts photos of law enforcement officers — both current and former — from public release. Like the County’s other lifeguards, Robert Tameris is dual certified, meaning he also is a sworn law enforcement officer. Pursuant to the interpretation of the Florida Attorney General’s Office, the exemption for photos of law enforcement officers includes booking photos — but only if the officer is not working in an undercover capacity, and only if the arrested officer asserts the exemption by making a written request to the jail to exempt his/her booking photo from being publicly released. While being booked, Mr. Tameris made a written request asserting this exemption. Accordingly, his booking photo isn’t a public record and I’m prohibited by law from providing it to you.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions regarding this e-mail.
Sincerely,
Gary Davidson
Public Information Officer
Volusia County Sheriff’s Office
(386) 736-5989
Things are not looking so 
Clearly, this first post is going to upset some of my friends (and some city staffers) but I need to get this of my chest – I don’t care that this is “old Florida color” and that the owner is a prominent and respected Ormond Beach businessman – I still think this house located in downtown Granada Boulevard looks like a giant Barbie doll house.