Detention Deputy Fired For Battering Inmate Who Fed Bird A Cookie

CLEARWATER, FL -- A PInellas County detention deputy was arrested and fired after being accused of forcing an inmate at the Pinellas County Jail to do push-ups after the inmate fed a discarded cookie to a bird.

According to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, on April 23 detectives from the sheriff's administrative investigation division received a complaint from 31-year-old Mario Christo who was released from the Pinellas County Jail at 14400 49th St. N., Clearwater, on April 16.

Christo told detectives that when he was incarcerated on Jan. 11, he was assigned to work in the kitchen with several other inmates. Christo said he was emptying the trash in the kitchen when he found a cookie and threw it to a bird that was sitting on top of the Dumpster.

Deputy James Moran, a detention deputy assigned to the Central Division at the Pinellas County Jail, was monitoring Christo's work crew and witnessed the cookie being thrown. Christo said Moran began cursing and asked which inmate threw the cookie. Moran admitted that he threw it so Moran directed him to drop and give him 50 push-ups.

Christo complied and completed more than 20 push-ups before having to stop due to exertion. Christo told detectives he was in a face-down push-up position on the ground when Moran walked over and kicked him in the right side of his torso. Christo said Moran then ordered him to resume doing push-ups but Christo said he didn't have the strength to continue so Moran forced him to remain in a face-down push-up position for nearly two minutes before he allowed Christo to relax.

Christo said he never reported the incident while he was an inmate at the jail for fear of retribution. Christo said he wasn't injured but his side hurt for several days.

After Christo contacted the sheriff's office and filed a complaint, detectives obtained surveillance video of the incident that corroborated Christo's allegations and showed Moran kicking the man.

Moran was arrested Tuesday, charged with one count of battery and terminated from his job. Moran, 57, was hired by the sheriff's office on Nov. 26, 2012.

Christo had been serving a 364-day sentence at the jail for disorderly conduct, resisting an officer without violence and resisting an officer with violence.