was born in Fort Leonard Wood Missouri and grew up in Montrose Michigan and Bushnell Florida. After high school, he started his criminal justice career by enrolling in school at the Criminal Justice Institute in Winter Haven Florida. He then spent several years with the Polk County Sheriff's Office as a fulltime Detention Deputy. In 1996 he completed the Law Enforcement cross over training at Polk Community College Criminal Justice Institute. In 1999 he moved back to his home town and started working for the Lake County Sheriff's Office as a full time Detention Deputy.

During his time at the Lake County Sheriff's Office he has had the opportunity to work many different assignments including jail housing, booking, property, classification, fugitive extradition, background investigator, academy instructor, corrections academy coordinator, advanced and specialized coordinator, dive team member, booking supervisor, training supervisor, training commander, training center director and shift commander. Sheriff Grinnell appointed him to Captain in 2021.

Russ is a past member of Kiwanis International Sunrise Chapter, YMCA Executive board, Lake Sumter Community College Criminal Justice Advisory Board, Lake Sumter Community College Organizational Management Advisory Board, Region VII Trust Fund Advisory Committee, and Florida Criminal Justice Directors Association. He is currently an active member of the Eustis Gun Club, YMCA volunteer, National Rifle Association, International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA), International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors (IALEFI) and the 501st Legion Florida Garrison Makaze Squad, where he volunteers with other members at local children hospitals and camps such as "Give kids the World".

He is also currently an adjunct professor at Valencia College where he teaches Criminal Law, Introduction to Correction and Introduction to Criminal Justice.

When Russ is not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife Joy and their two children, Tara, and Paul. His favorite pastime is watching his daughter dance on stage across the state for Extreme Dance and his son compete in Super Smash Bro tournaments. He and his family are avid RV enthusiasts and they love to travel to historical sites around the country in the summertime. They reside in Grand Island and are members of Life Pointe Baptist Church in Eustis.