A Lady Lake police lieutenant has been arrested on domestic battery and child abuse charges.
Nelson Vargas was arrested early Saturday in Minneola by Lake County sheriff’s deputies on a third degree felony charge of child abuse and a misdemeanor charge of simple domestic battery. He was booked at the Lake County Jail and released after posting $3,000 bond.
Police Chief Robert Tempesta said Vargas has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.
Vargas was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in 2019.
He joined the Lady Lake Police Department in February 2017. Vargas was promoted in June 2018 to the rank of corporal and became a field training officer, training new members of the department.
Prior to joining the force in Lady Lake, Vargas served as a police officer for 23 years in his hometown of East Hampton, N.Y. He attained the rank of sergeant before his retirement in 2015.
He holds a degree in criminal justice from West Chester University in Pennsylvania.
