Candidate: Luis "Tony" Fernandez

Luis Antonio Fernández, nicknamed Tony, was born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. From an early age, Tony learned the importance of hard work, respecting others, and standing up for what you believe in. Being raised to value justice and service, Tony chose a career in public service.

In 1994, Tony graduated from the Inter American University, a private, accredited Christian college established in 1912. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and an Associate Degree in Criminal Investigations. Tony was also selected to attend the prestigious John Jay College of Criminal Justice of New York as an exchange student in a program so exclusive that only two students were chosen.

In 1995, Tony stated his law enforcement career started as a Special Agent of the Puerto Rico State Police (PRPD). He entered as a patrol officer, but his work ethic earned him a position on the Tactical Surveillance Team, a unit whose mission was to investigate government corruption. Tony’s team focused on corruption involving politicians, and the unit reported directly to the office of the governor.

While serving in this specialized unit, Tony was able to train with US federal agencies such as the Secret Service, FBI, DEA and the ATF. Tony’s investigative experience included auditing multi-million-dollar budgets and tracking spending to detect fraud, waste, and abuse of public funds.

In 1996, Puerto Rico served as headquarters for the National Governors Association Convention, and Tony was assigned as dignitary protection and personal guide for the Honorable Paul Patton, then-governor of the State of Kentucky. As a result of Tony’s exemplary service to the governor, he was awarded the title of "Honorary Colonel of the State of Kentucky," the highest award of honor that the Governor of Kentucky can bestow on anyone. 

When Puerto Rico once again hosted the event in 1998, Governor Patton personally requested Tony to fulfill his former role. As a testament to Tony’s service, Governor Patton made it clear that if Tony could not be assigned to him, he would not attend the conference.

Tony moved his family to Orlando in 2000. At first, he worked in the private sector as a director of investigative operations for a small investigative firm. In 2002, he moved to Osceola County and worked as a supervisor of loss prevention for Giorgio Armani.

In 2005, Tony returned to public service as a deputy sheriff with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, and served for 14 years until required to resign in order to run for office against then-sheriff Russ Gibson. During that time, Tony served as a road patrol deputy, a field training officer, and a detective. He was also a firearms instructor and driving instructor, two of the most important and high-liability areas for the agency. If you ask Tony what his favorite part was of working at the sheriff’s office, he will proudly state, “helping people solve their problems.”  

Tony is currently working for the Office of the Inspector General for the Florida Department of Corrections as a Law Enforcement Inspector Detective. He is in charge of a regional response for state prisons in and around Central Florida.

Happily married to Carmen, the love of his life, they like many other families, have successfully combined their families from previous marriages into one.  They have raised seven children and have been blessed with four grandchildren. They have two dogs and live on a small farmstead in west Osceola County.

Tony’s platform revolves around key elements that will provide a moral compass, create a culture of problem solving, and ensure that the chain of command is responsive to members of the agency and our community. These elements are:

• Justice
• Unification
• Problem-solving
• Transparency
• Improve Relations with the State Attorney Office
• Restore the Chain of Command

If you would like to learn more about Tony and his views, his website and social media are:

Home | Luis "Tony" Fernandez For Osceola County Sheriff (tonyfernandezforsheriff.com)

TonyFernandezforSheriff | Facebook

Tony Fernandez (@tonyforosceolasheriff) • Instagram photos and videos