The chief of staff for Public Defender Matt Shirk will retire this month, after three weeks of heavy scrutiny.
Ron Mallett's last day will be Sept. 27, according to an email Shirk sent to his staff today.
"Please join me in wishing Ron the best in retirement. I thank him for his service to this office over the last 5 years. Have a great weekend."
He earns $98,600 a year as chief of staff. He was hired in 2009, as a part-time budget director making about $36,250.
Mallett initially came under fire last month when he left a voicemail for former director of investigations A.L. Kelly, asking him to sign a different resignation letter so Kelly's original notification didn't have to be released to a television station that requested it.
Kelly's original email, which said he had been trying to reach Shirk for four weeks, would still be a public record. Kelly did not sign a new resignation letter. Kelly resigned because he believed Shirk's administration mishandled the terminations of three female employees.
This week, The Florida Times-Union reported that Mallett was accused by an employee of ordering the deletion of records tracking an access badge given to Shirk's wife, Michelle. Mallett told the Times-Union that Shirk asked him to have the badge canceled.
Shirk's office is being investigated by special prosecutor, Bill Cervone of Gainesville, who was appointed by the governor.