Investigation At Sheriff's Office

BROOKSVILLE - There's an open criminal investigation related to the property and evidence room at the sheriff's office, a spokeswoman confirmed Monday.

The department's property and evidence supervisor, John Manning, resigned effective immediately on Jan. 29 with a curt, one-sentence letter.

Asked directly if there is any evidence missing, Sgt. Donna Black, sheriff's spokeswoman, replied: "not related to John Manning."

She would not comment further, saying it was an open, criminal investigation.

Asked if this was a public safety issue, Black, replied: "Absolutely not."

We'll see if it's a public safety issue or not, Donna.

Gees,the place is bursting at the seams!!!Nugent,good job..U ruined Mylanders great empire!!

"Asked directly if there is any evidence missing, Sgt. Donna Black, sheriff's spokeswoman, replied: "not related to John Manning.""

Missing evidence/property again? WTF is going on?

another criminal investigation......doesn't suprise me. they need to look deeper at whats going on.

Can only imagine what that curt one sentence said!!! Probably what most of us want to say but are afraid to.

Wow,its crazy here. :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

Has anyone else noticed that these investigations do not make it to the HSO website, under media releases? Hmmmmmmmm.

Who stole the drugs? Is it the ones who open their mouths and tell of using and passing drug tests? Or is it the one who takes drugs from citizens and doesn't turn them in? Maybe it's the one who tried to get his buddy off of charges? Too many questions will go unanswered.
:cop:

I have to laugh at the suck-up who put the comment below this article in the Hernando Today. I guess they got brownie points for posting that lie!! Most professional in the state? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA, who are they trying to fool? Intereseting that he resigned, with a curt one-sentence letter.

Hey guys!!All this bad stuff,keeps the crosshairs off of us!!

Hey guys!!All this bad stuff,keeps the crosshairs off of us!!
Not really. And if it does, for a very short time. :(

Criminal investigation opened in Hernando Sheriff's Office
BROOKSVILLE -- The Hernando County Sheriff's Office said today that it has opened a criminal investigation related to the property and evidence room at its own department.

The investigation comes on the heels of the resignation of John Manning, the Sheriff's Office property and evidence supervisor. Manning submitted a one-sentence letter to Sheriff Richard Nugent on Jan. 29 announcing his intention to resign immediately.

Sgt. Donna Black, a spokeswoman for the Sheriff's Office, said the investigation had nothing to do with Manning. She said that there was nothing more she could say until the investigation had been completed.

"We always do a thorough investigation," Black said. "So I wouldn't put a time limit on it."

Joel Anderson, Times staff writer


Who does she think she is fooling by making a public statement like that? This is not true, and we know it!! :x :x

Well John Manning quit real quick and has been there since like 1991!!Looks like he quit before they nailed him and blamed him ,as they are good at that.Good for him!!! :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

Does the Lt. Morrison resignation have any significance? Was he a supervisor over John Manning?

BROOKSVILLE — The Hernando County Sheriff's Office has opened a criminal investigation related to the property and evidence room at its own department.

The investigation comes on the heels of the resignation of John Manning, the Sheriff's Office property and evidence supervisor. Manning submitted a one-sentence letter to Sheriff Richard Nugent on Jan. 29 announcing his intention to resign immediately.

Sgt. Donna Black, a spokeswoman for the Sheriff's Office, said the investigation had nothing to do with Manning.

"We always do a thorough investigation," Black said Tuesday, "so I wouldn't put a time limit on it."

Sheriff Richard Nugent confirmed the investigation centered on employees within the department but said he wouldn't comment again because the probe was ongoing.

"All I can tell you is we're in process of completing the investigation," Nugent said.

Black said the Hernando Sheriff's Office will be the only law enforcement agency handling the investigation.

"We handle the criminal investigations just as we handle our own internal affairs investigations," Black said. "And in the past we have arrested members of our agency for criminal violations such as domestic violence."

However, it is not unusual for law enforcement agencies to bring in outside investigators, typically the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, to avoid any perception of impartiality.

The FDLE, for example, is continuing an investigation of allegations of missing guns, cash and drugs from the Brooksville Police Department's evidence room during the tenure of former police Chief Ed Tincher.

There was no indication on Tuesday that the problems with the Brooksville Police evidence room were connected to the new investigation into the Sheriff's Office evidence room.

As of Tuesday, prosecutors said they hadn't been told of the investigation. State Attorney Brad King said that wasn't necessarily unusual.

"It would depend on the circumstances," King said. "Obviously, if they find nothing, no discrepancy or no problems, that's not necessarily something they'd report to me."

Joel Anderson can be reached at joelanderson@sptimes.com or (352) 754-6120.



[Last modified: Feb 03, 2009 08:25 PM]

Well John Manning quit real quick and has been there since like 1991!!Looks like he quit before they nailed him and blamed him ,as they are good at that.Good for him!!! :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
He left real quick! They are good at that, aren't they?

Sheriff nugent..your place is bursting at the seams and crumbling.The morale is destroyed since you also took office!! :cry: :cry:

ok guys here is what i heard about this whole deal.

somehow 10,000 in evidence wound up missing, and it went missing while Donnie Smith and Faustini were assigned to evidence. Manning was not a suspect but he got so sick and tired of them nagging and screaming about the money that he resigned. Lemme repeat---the money went missing when our ex-Sgt Smith was assigned back there. I can do the math on this one.

Donnie Smith + evidence room = $10,000 out the window

:evil:

ok guys here is what i heard about this whole deal.

somehow 10,000 in evidence wound up missing, and it went missing while Donnie Smith and Faustini were assigned to evidence. Manning was not a suspect but he got so sick and tired of them nagging and screaming about the money that he resigned. Lemme repeat---the money went missing when our ex-Sgt Smith was assigned back there. I can do the math on this one.

Donnie Smith + evidence room = $10,000 out the window

:evil:

:shock: :o

Wowsers...So $10,000 comes up missing. A Lt. resigns, a property manager resigns and the office is doing their own investigation. Very interesting. Maybe they should have put that special lock on the property/evidence door rather than the "biometric specialists" door. Oh well, thats a whole different discussion. Keep up the good work Sheriff, Choo Choo!!!

Wow..maybe the chief should leave next!!!Hes a sinner I here. :snicker: :snicker:

Ever take notice how Nuge smiles in all those newspapers? Same smile-never changing. Of course he doesn't want this or anything else hitting the press. If the people of Hernando really knew what the hell was going on here he'd probably leave. He should've by now. This place is a real mess. He lost all respect of his people and a lot of citizens hearing the buzz.

Chief is a sinner. You all know whats been going on. Its not cheap talk. Watch your back everyone. What we need we have to wait at least another 2 yrs for. Hope it aint the full 4 yr.s. Lets make sure the next vote is not for one of Nugents kisser uppers. time for fresh air. if mylander only knew then.

Ever take notice how Nuge smiles in all those newspapers? Same smile-never changing. Of course he doesn't want this or anything else hitting the press. If the people of Hernando really knew what the hell was going on here he'd probably leave. He should've by now. This place is a real mess. He lost all respect of his people and a lot of citizens hearing the buzz.

He's as fake as his smile.........he needs to leave now and we need a real leader here one who will shape this place up.

Hello,I just commented on Carlos post.Yes sheriff Nugent had destroyed Mylanders empire that use to have morals and standards.Mylander actually cared,politics aside.Yes he was a politician,but the man really cared.Nugent does not come within a 10% of him and never will.I worked for Mylander for 2 years so I know.iIf it was Mylander he would have never done that to an employee.The chief deputy is the same way.I hope they get hurt or go through a major event so they can open there little fairy tale lives and get some real dirt under there nails and know what life is really like!!!

They should have called in an independent agency,like fdle to look int :snicker: o this one!!

They should have, but that isn't the way it works at HSO. You know it, I know it........

Wowsers...So $10,000 comes up missing. A Lt. resigns, a property manager resigns and the office is doing their own investigation. Very interesting. Maybe they should have put that special lock on the property/evidence door rather than the "biometric specialists" door. Oh well, thats a whole different discussion. Keep up the good work Sheriff, Choo Choo!!!

They did put the locks in the wrong place, apparently. No news on this investigation, one that is being done by HCSO.......that speaks loudly! If they would have taken this seriously, they would have had someone else come in and investigate, instead, it will be another coverup.

NOOOOOO...another coverup involving Donnie Smith? Can't be...what would this be, like the 4th or 5th one? :roll:

You guys are a bunch of knuckle-heads. Oh, you worked for Mylander for a whole TWO years - and that makes you an expert. Please...

You guys really have no clue, and thankfully, the Sheriff doesn't run the agency the way you bunch of losers would like. We'd be in real trouble if he catered to the opinions of the weak-minded, self-absorbed SMALL group of people that you guys are. If you are so confident you are right, why do you hide behind anonymous boards instead of making an appointment with him and talking to him about your wonderful, know-it-all ideas??? Oh let me guess, you're afraid of what will happen to you, right? Of course you are, because that's your ticket/excuse for being an anonymous complainer.

The Sheriff didn't fire a single individual that supported his opponent in the election, and I've never seen him take anything out on someone that talked with him about a different opinion. But, actually talking to him would ruin your opportunity to just complain and not take ANY responsibility for your own actions.

To the brown noser suck up. I have talked to Rich and it did no good. Letting anyone know who we are would be career suicide. We aren't nearly as stupid as you are saying, we are quite wise. Need some wet wipes?

Yes, another cover up in the making. Welcome to Hernando County, and notice how disrespectful the Nugent suck ups are to co-workers!

Hate to burst your bubble, but I'm not a suck-up or a brown-noser and you are not my co-worker. You are an anonymous complainer with no real stage or audience, that's all.

Hate to burst your bubble, but you don't know what you are talking about. Co workers complain all the time. Speaking of anonymous.......that would be you too. :cop: :cop: :mrgreen:

Nugents kingdom is falling.Why isnt the investigation done from the evidence room yet?Gees another cover up?

another criminal investigation......doesn't suprise me. they need to look deeper at whats going on.

They know they need to.........but they won't. Sad state of affairs.

Still no news of this being completed.........hmmmmmmmmmm. Sounds like another cover-up to me!

BROOKSVILLE - Officials discovered $11,185 in cash was missing from the sheriff's office evidence room in January.
A criminal investigation was opened shortly after, but no culprits or money could be found after three months, according to records released Thursday.
For now, the case remains in the state of "inactive."
The missing money came to light during a routine audit in January. A temporary employee scanning evidence into a computer database found that $3,180 was gone.
Further search of the entire evidence room determined it truly was missing and not misplaced.
Days later, the supervisor of the evidence room, John Manning, brought a parcel holding five sums of money to the finance department. The money, seized from under a mattress in a drug case, was to be unsealed by court order for forfeiture. Four of the sums were inside the envelope, but $8,000 was gone.
The finance director, Emily Vernon, counted the money and told Manning some of it was missing.
Manning "turned white as a ghost and said, 'Oh my God,'" Vernon told investigators.
On Jan. 8, a criminal investigation was opened to find the money and, if necessary, a grand theft suspect. For the next three months, Detective Anthony Scarpati interviewed Manning and his two full-time employees, along with a host of temporary employees.
The evidence room is frequently staffed by deputies on light duty, either from injury or because of in-house investigations.
In his interview, Manning defended the accountability of his system and stated he had never had money go missing before. His theory is this was "blatant thievery."
Manning resigned Jan. 29 after almost two decades in property and evidence. He gave no reason why.
Some of the key players were re-interviewed using technology that detects deception through stress in the voice. Only one, former deputy Michael Faustini, showed signs of deception when asked if he took the money from the evidence room, according to the report.
Sgt. Donna Black, spokeswoman for the sheriff's office, said the missing money was no longer necessary as evidence for criminal cases. Both were scheduled for forfeiture to the sheriff's office and the sums will be covered by insurance, she said.
Hernando Today was the first to break the news about the criminal investigation in January.


Reporter Kyle Martin can be reached at 352-544-5271 or kmartin@hernandotoday.com.

WTF??????????? Yes, another cover-up! This is why they didn't have an outside agency do the investigation.