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Criminal Investigation Prompted By Commissioner’s Comments
June 5, 2013
Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan said Tuesday in a letter that he is directing his investigators to interview Escambia Commission Chairman Gene Valentino, and the Sheriff is asking Valentino to recuse himself from a Department of Justice Working Group.
Last week during an interview with WEAR 3, Valentino referenced “correctional officers playing video games on laptop computers and ignoring prisoners” and said “let’s address these issues before you come to me asking for money”. And the following day, he told two radio stations, including NewsRadio 1620, that the sheriff was holding a gun to the head of the county commission and that the commission will look for further efficiencies in the jail operations before agreeing to funding, according to the sheriff’s letter.
“For you or I to attempt to deflect our responsibilities by name calling, finger pointing and nitpicking managerial capabilities (or lack thereof) is an area I strongly encourage you not to venture into,” Morgan wrote in Tuesday’s letter to Valentino.
Morgan said he has opened a criminal investigation based upon Valentino’s “statements as a material witness” regarding correctional officers playing video games on laptops — a third degree felony offense. He said Valentino will be asked to speak to an investigator under oath.
The sheriff also asked Valentino to recuse himself from the Department of Justice Working Group. The group is working, with a deadline just over a month away, to address problems in a Department of Justice report on the Escambia County Jail that found prisoners’ rights were routinely violated, inadequate mental health services and other problems.
Valentino is currently on an economic trade trip to Panama.
Comments
40 Responses to “Criminal Investigation Prompted By Commissioner’s Comments”
I don’t no bout the county but I do no bout a state prison as a former sergant there is no computer games played at a state level you are not allowed to have a computer or phone I no its a third degree felony and you could very well loose your job
You should probably stock up on popcorn now, this is going to get pretty entertaining before it’s all over.
Valentino you know thats not your money right?
HEY LETS RAISE TAXES FOR ECAT AND LETS NOT HAVE A TAX INCREASE TO HELP THE C.O.’S SAFETY! GOOD LOGIC FROM THOSE IN CHARGE!
ITS FUNNY HOW VALENTINO’S SOURCES ARE INMATES!
Maybe we should consider that the letter from Sheriff Morgan was written in a manner that Mr. Valentino could read it. If it was written properly it could have been misunderstood….LOL
Not taking sides, just saying
I remember when Gene first came to Pensacola—he was a much nicer person back then. Then he got hooked up with some of the ” local power brokers” and became not such a nice person. Then he moved to Gulf/Johnson/Perdido Beach (pick a name) and wanted to see hotels/condos and so forth on that beach. A lot of his neighbors do not care much for him any more because of this. Maybe Scott can make him his Lt. Gov. and Gene can move on to bigger and better things. It’s sad when a nice person lets power destroy them.
Mr Valentino I would suggest you go quietly and don’t make a big fuss, just get on the plane.
I would think the best thing for Senator Getz to do would be not to get in the way and to keep quite.as he is not under investigation, not that I am aware of anyway, not yet.
@David Green,
That’s EXACTLY what I was saying, lol.
I don’t like Valention, although if he was our county commissioner we would have alot more going in our favor. The prisons are dangerously under staffed.
@molino Jim Well good morning to you sir.
Valentino: Open mouth insert foot
James williams, you should watch your comments, you could be a material witness -lol
ECSO Project “Welcome Home” is underway…I repeat, project welcome home is underway , …All units; the eagle has landed = Increased police presence on the drive home.
Some of us has the feeling of uncertainty if an officer is following us… try driving without making a mistake after spending 8 days abroad and the food and water purification (or lack thereof) starting to settle in. Welcome Home !. I would hire a driver/limo that afternoon and bill the county for the expense.
Delivering a pamphlet with the specifications along with a few photos or the port (owned by the city of Pensacola) and handled by the Mayor was needed why?
Go, Sheriff Morgan!
And David H. G., I love you!
If you are not willing to say something under oath, you should not be saying it in the public airwaves. By trying to win political points. The Sheriff is taking Valentino’s accusations seriously. Which he should, that is what he is paid to do. Seems ironic that is what the argument is about. People doing what they are paid to do.
429SCJ…..to answer your question, Panama DOES have an extradition treaty with the U.S.
@doubtingthomas. Do you mean being unable to get into the parking lot at the Tom Thumb around 7 a/m because of the county trucks?
CONCERNING:
“For you or I to attempt to deflect our responsibilities by name calling, finger pointing and nitpicking managerial capabilities (or lack thereof) is an area I strongly encourage you not to venture into,”
As they taught us back at Byrneville Elementary School, “for you or for me” yields the compound prepositional phrase “for you or me,” not “for you or I.” Misuse of grammar in official correspondence detracts from the message. It is okay in common notes and suchlike but not when to be read as an official document.
Also noteworthy are the three homonyms:
Cited, referenced as a citation “He cited the statement made on WEAR.”
Sited, located “The cruiser was sited at the intersection.”
Sighted, seen “He sighted the great whale.”
To do a better job of hurting the commissioner’s feelings, the sentence might be reworded:
I strongly encourage you to not attempt to deflect attention from your duty by name calling, finger pointing and nitpicking managerial capabilities because yours are sorely lacking.
David just trying to help
Boys will be boys.
Please know that: Leadership is getting others to do what you want them to do because they want to.
REGARDING:
“Morgan and Valentino reminds me of Hamilton and Burr.”
Hamilton was a good and honorable man.
Which one reminds you of him?
David just wondering
Not one security employee at the jail is issued a laptop.
Put your seatbelt on this should be fun. We have already paid Legal fees for the alleged Roads Inc. contribution episode. How productive is Panama Knowing you’re the topic in town? who is paying his cellphone bills? was rooming properly arranged? ,if the county is paying North Escambia should be able to obtain the records during this dog and pony show.
I don’t recall the county questing the District 2 $3MM welcome center/fire department with helicopter pad or the undisclosed $ amount paid to the homeowners’ in view of the large bldg.….. Hey good for them, I wouldn’t want this in my back yard. Perhaps you homeowners with a disrupted view can host a BBQ for us with your new found money.
Are you kidding me Morgan the best? Ha!! Don’t be scared to speak your mind fellow Americans I mean that’s our right!!
Who would have thought that people would goof off when the boss isn’t watching them?
Morgan and Valentino reminds me of Hamilton and Burr.
Abuse is abuse and when you use the system it is dishonest I know in the north end of the county if you aren’t careful a county vehicle with daily workers will run over you going to breakfast Personally I think you should have breakfast before you come to work. Don’t point fingers at the ECSO look around its going on everywhere. Clean all of it not just one department
FOR EVERY 12 HOURS VALENTINO IS AT HOME SLEEPING THERE IS AN OFFICER AWAKE AT THE JAIL MAKING SURE CRIMINALS DUE THEIR TIME.
VALENTINO ALSO NEEDS TO ADDRESS HOW SOME OF HIS PRECIOUS COUNTY WORKERS ARE SITTIN ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SMOKING CIGARETTES EVERY 5 MINUTES AND NOT WORKING! SO THEY DESERVE RAISES I GUESS.
What sort of “under oath” requirement is there when speaking to an investigator?
Are the laptops in question being submitted for forensic diagnostics also ?
THAT would be the only thing needed to investigate.
Sheriff Morgan is one of the best sheriffs I have seen in this county. One of the traits I admire about him is his ability to speak the truth. Political correctness does not enter the picture with him. That ability alone shows you character. Of course that makes a segment of our local population angry when he tells the truth backed up by facts ( i.e., crime rates and who is doing most of the crimes)
Ok, I’m not taking sides here, so please bear with me.
If COs are playing video games, that should be stopped. I don’t play video games at my place of employment, and I don’t expect them to be doing so either.
The calling out of government employees for being lazy on the job should never bear consequences.
To Sheriff Morgan,
If you are going to send letters in an official capacity, PLEASE at least have the professional pride to make sure that they are letter perfect. I can’t stand to see official letters that are rife with grammatical, spelling, punctuation, etc errors. It does not reflect well upon the department or the community.
Yes and if you try to run against Morgan you stand the chance of being arrested. It is abuse of authority plain and simple.
This is ONE of the MAJOR problems with government……
Valentino, a member of the Department of Justice Working Group
The group is working, with a deadline just over a month away
WHERE’S VALENTINO?
Valentino is currently on an economic trade trip to Panama
I’d say Valentino is ready for the big time………Washington, DC
Whether I agree or not the Sheriff needs to quit abusing his authority. Just be aware that if you disagree with him it might lead to charges. Come on Morgan grow up take the shots that come with your position and move on.
I don’t think you have done a bad job but all of this distraction leads to business leaders not wanting to come to Pensacola because of this type of childish behaviour. We citizens have had enough of sand box bickering.
Uh, excuse me but how smart does someone have to be to know a jail, or prison, is a potentially dangerous place? Gene, it’s called a “Jail” for a reason, dude.
“Panama” as in Panama in Central America? Okay, maybe a good thing, after all we have all those banana boats pulling into the port of Pensacola to unload on a daily basis. Question though, is who else went with you Gene? Not just elected officials but were there others in the group?
Sheriff Morgan, appreciate that you stand up like the good guy you are.
Anyone else think that “…correctional officers playing video games on laptops…” should REALLY be “…a third degree felony offense…”?
A FELONY? REALLY? What if they’re on a break? Lotsa SLOW periods @ the jail, I reckon…
We have far too many inane laws. And now we have yet ANOTHER Dog&Pony show, courtesy of our elected officials. Great.
It would appear that Valentino has messed with the wrong Sheriff. This explains why he decided to take off to Panama.
I suppose he could just stay in Panama. He could open a bar there and Senator Getz could play the saxophone and entertain the drunks.
If I was Sheriff Morgan I would bring former Sheriff Ronald McNesby’s shooter out of mothballs and send him down there to bring Valentino back or put matters to rest.
Doesn’t Panama have an extradition treaty with the U.S.?
It is way past time that someone started holding the “good ol’ boys” accountable for their words and actions. Thank you Sheriff Morgan for having him speak under oath. I fear there are times when the County Commissioners say things to put others down and to make themselves look important instead of working to do a good job. This just discourages the ones who are trying to do a good job.
Yes the officers do play video games on the cumpters i’ve seen it when i was a inmate worker there!