BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A former Erie County jail deputy was sentenced to three years of probation after he admitted to having inappropriate conduct with two women, one of whom was an inmate, Erie County District Attorney’s Office officials confirmed to News 4.

Robert M. Dee, 42, pleaded guilty in May to one count of official misconduct and one count of second-degree criminal contempt.

Officials say between March 19, 2019 and May 29, 2019, Dee failed to report inappropriate conduct with a female inmate while working as a jail deputy with the Erie County Sheriff’s Office. While the woman was incarcerated, Dee solicited and received her phone number and proceeded to call her once she was released from custody, which is a violation of protocol.

In addition, on Jan. 4, 2022, deputies responded to Dee’s home in Eden after receiving a 911 call. Upon their arrival, a different woman was discovered inside the residence. An order of protection had been issued on behalf of the woman due to a prior incident, which prohibited Dee from having any contact with the victim, according to officials.

Following these incidents, in May 2022, Dee was fired from his position with the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, officials said.

Erie County Sheriff John Garcia issued the following statement Tuesday regarding Dee’s sentencing:

Now that the sentencing phase of Robert Dee’s criminal case and plea deal is over, I want to commend the hard work of my detectives and the district attorney’s office, which brought us to this day. This individual’s conduct is not accepted in my administration, and his sentence should send a message to anyone who serves the public. That message is they will be investigated and prosecuted whenever they violate their oath and tear at the trust between the public and those who swear to protect the public.

John Garcia, Erie County Sheriff