Corrections Officer charged with child abuse after battering 15-year-old inmate

On March 13, Florida’s Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office announced that their patrol deputies arrested and charged a Department of Juvenile Justice Detention Officer with child abuse after that officer allegedly battered a 15-year-old boy under his care.

According to deputies, on March 11, a 15-year-old male inmate housed at the Pinellas Juvenile Detention Center, located at 5255 140th Avenue North in Clearwater, requested assistance from staff. The detention officer, 60-year-old Anthony Sandora, was on duty and assigned to the area where the inmate was housed. The inmate began to kick his cell door after his requests for assistance went unanswered by Sandora.

Deputies say that Sandora opened the cell door and was seen entering the cell and slapping the inmate in the face before pushing him down onto a bed. Sandora threw all of the inmate’s belongings out of the cell into the hallway before exiting the cell.

Reportedly, about five minutes later, Sandora re-entered the cell after the inmate began to intentionally flood his cell with water. Deputies reported that Sandora then grabbed the inmate by the neck, pushed him back onto the bed, and punched him in the face. The inmate was moved to an isolation cell and did not sustain any injuries during the incident.

On March 12, deputies arrested Sandora and charged him with one count of Child Abuse. He was transported to the Pinellas County Jail.

Sandora was employed with the Department of Juvenile Justice for approximately 10 months and was terminated for violating the department’s policies.

The Sheriff’s Office went on to say that their investigation into this matter continues.

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(Source and Anthony Sandora Booking Photo: Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office)

Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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