Pinellas Detention Deputy Fired After Inmate Battery, Sheriff Says

Pinellas County, FL – The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office has announced the firing of one of its own and a possible criminal charge following a March incident at the county jail.

According to the agency, detention Deputy Mathew Stanfield, 26, was fired Monday. He began his career with the agency on Oct. 17, 2011.

Stanfield’s termination comes on the heels of an internal investigation into an alleged incident at the county jail on March 22. Stanfield has been accused of battering an inmate during that incident.

According to the sheriff’s office, the incident began as Stanfield was checking the inmate housing unit. During that check, he came across graffiti that was “derogatory in nature towards law enforcement,” an email from the sheriff’s office said. An inmate inside the cell accepted responsibility for the graffiti, the email said.

“Stanfield angrily instructed the inmate to meet him in an area of the jail that was obscured from video monitoring,” the email said. “The inmate followed Stanfield to a cell that was occupied by four other inmates.”

Stanfield is then accused of ordering the four inmates out of the video-obstructed cell, leaving himself and the inmate alone for a period of three minutes.

“According to the inmate, when he entered the cell with Stanfield, the deputy threatened him with his Electronic Control Weapon,” the sheriff’s office email said. “Stanfield informed the inmate that they were going to ‘grapple’ and charged the inmate grabbing his leg, lifting him off the ground, knocking him backward into a concrete wall, and then to the floor.”

The inmate, who has not been named by authorities, suffered injuries to his back and arm.

Investigators say Stanfield did not prepare an incident report, nor did he file a use of force report. In addition, no inmate disciplinary report was filed in relation to the graffiti.

Stanfield is also accused of providing false information during Chain of Command questioning and to the Administrative Investigation Division.

Stanfield’s termination was announced Monday. The sheriff’s office said criminal misdemeanor battery charges may be forthcoming, as well. The State Attorney’s Office is being asked to review the case for possible charges.

No further information is available at this time.

Image via Shutterstock