04-22-2009, 11:36 AM
The former chief deputy of the Lee County Sheriff's Office who quit amid allegations that he abused his power spoke to NBC2.
Charlie Ferrante said he wants to set the record straight. Tuesday night in his home, he said after 20 years of service, this is never how he thought he'd leave.
Ferrante put in his letter of retirement in early March. But just days later, Sheriff Mike Scott announced his right-hand man was going to be suspended and investigated internally.
He spoke about allegations against him of intimidation, threats and rage when it came to a sergeant.
"I was in total shock," he said. "The only expletive I said is, 'Where do you get big enough [expletive deleted] to talk to the chief deputy like that?"
Back in March, the sheriff's office announced it was putting Charlie Ferrante on paid administrative leave, pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
"I've been served nothing formally," he said.
The ex-chief also addressed other claims, like the one that he tried to keep certain information out of his brother's personnel file. His brother is ex-captain Dominick Ferrante.
But he says that's not true either.
The former chief says an internal investigation would have cleared him. But he claims he never had the chance.
"All I'm asking for is an answer. Was I under investigation? Was I not under investigation? Was I suspended? Was I not suspended?" said Ferrante.
The sheriff's office says they started an internal investigation, but then the former chief went on medical leave.
That meant they couldn't call him back into question him as part of that investigation because of the Family Medical Leave Act.
Charlie Ferrante said he wants to set the record straight. Tuesday night in his home, he said after 20 years of service, this is never how he thought he'd leave.
Ferrante put in his letter of retirement in early March. But just days later, Sheriff Mike Scott announced his right-hand man was going to be suspended and investigated internally.
He spoke about allegations against him of intimidation, threats and rage when it came to a sergeant.
"I was in total shock," he said. "The only expletive I said is, 'Where do you get big enough [expletive deleted] to talk to the chief deputy like that?"
Back in March, the sheriff's office announced it was putting Charlie Ferrante on paid administrative leave, pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
"I've been served nothing formally," he said.
The ex-chief also addressed other claims, like the one that he tried to keep certain information out of his brother's personnel file. His brother is ex-captain Dominick Ferrante.
But he says that's not true either.
The former chief says an internal investigation would have cleared him. But he claims he never had the chance.
"All I'm asking for is an answer. Was I under investigation? Was I not under investigation? Was I suspended? Was I not suspended?" said Ferrante.
The sheriff's office says they started an internal investigation, but then the former chief went on medical leave.
That meant they couldn't call him back into question him as part of that investigation because of the Family Medical Leave Act.