Ex-sergeant's case moved to pretrial intervention program

Catherine Payne make a first appearance in a Nassau County courtroom.

NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – The case of a former St. Johns County Sheriff's Office sergeant who pleaded not guilty to depriving custody of a minor was transferred into the pretrial intervention program.

Catherine Payne did not have to enter a plea on the two counts, but instead was entered into the 18-month deferred prosecution.

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If she follows the guidelines, the charges are expunged. Those conditions include no subsequent arrests, no possession of a firearm, random drug testing and 20 hours of community service.

Payne, 37, was arrested twice in October, each time on a charge of interfering with child custody. She was subsequently fired from the Sheriff's Office.

Deputies said Payne took her 6-year-old son from school Oct. 21, in violation of the court order that gave her husband, Phillip Payne, sole custody. She told school staffers the pickup order was changed, and she was allowed to pick up her son, deputies said.

Payne was arrested days later after again trying to take her son from school, deputies said.