TAMPA, FL (Hillsborogh County) - According to an online news report tampabay.com, a Hillsborough County deputy sergeant who is accused of pointing his pistol at a citizen and making the threat will not be prosecuted. State Attorney prosecutors determined that there wasn't enough evidence to win a conviction against the former Hillsborough sheriff's Sergeant.
Chad Chronister, the Hillsborough County Sheriff, announced back in July that their office fired one of their deputies was terminated and arrested after the deputy was accused of threatening a man with his firearm. Specifically, the Sergeant is accused of pointing his pistol at a man's head and making threats toward the man.
Last Friday, State prosecutors declared that they would not proceed with criminal charges in the case against the Sheriff's deputy. The prosecutors stated that the "Hillsborough deputy accused of aiming gun would not be prosecuted." The prosecutors added that there is not a sufficient amount of evidence to prove the former Hillsborough sheriff's Sergeant committed a crime. State prosecutors concluded their statements by stating that after reviewing the facts of the case against the former Sergeant, prosecutors decided that the Sergeant's actions as a Sherriff's deputy were not unlawful. Andrew Warren, the Hillsborough State Prosecuting Attorney, summarized the prosecutors' office's conclusions in a written statement delivered on Friday to Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister called the fired Sheriff's deputy's actions despicable in a news conference back on July 10, 2020.
The Sergeant's attorney stated that their law office had conducted an independent review of the facts and circumstances in the case and conferred their conclusions to the State Attorney's Office.
According to the Sergeant's attorney, the State attorneys conducted a "careful, deliberate, and just" investigation into the case, and "No one was short-circuited here. Justice was served from all sides."
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office made a public statement but decided not to answer questions about the case. According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, the state attorney's conclusions would not impact their decision to fire the Sergeant.