Issue:
In late 2011 the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit carried out a questionable sting operation on citizens that frequented a legal hydroponics gardening store in Largo. Allegations of trespassing and lying to get judges to issue search warrants plagued the operation led by Pinellas Narcotics Detective Michael Sciarrino. Sciarrino was set to be interviewed under oath at an administrative hearing, instead he abruptly quit. It is speculated that Sciarrino did not want to answer questions under oath after he read thousands of pages of investigative reports compiled by the Sheriff’s Office Internal Investigation Department.
Why This Matters To You:
The continuing turmoil at the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office places additional doubt on whether or not the group is properly following procedures in many areas. These events also cast doubt that Sheriff’s Officers are operating in a fair and consistent manner to alleged offenders.
Many arrests made by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office have already been thrown out, and as additional facts come to light more may follow. Alleged criminal offenders that have been arrested by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, especially by narcotics detectives, may have been arrested using questionable tactics that produced potentially inaccurate affidavits of arrest, which may be grounds for the dismissal of the criminal charges.
What To Do Next:
If you have been arrested by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office in the Tampa Bay area and feel that your charges may be questionable, contact the Morris Law Firm, a St. Petersburg based Criminal Defense Law Firm to discuss possible defenses and specific strategies that may exist in your case. Call the Morris Law Firm at 727-388-4736 to discuss your case directly with an attorney, or fill out our Online Form (found on our main web site) to be contacted for a free initial consultation. The Morris Law Firm can help. Attorney Melinda Morris has specific knowledge and experience in representing alleged felony offenders throughout the Tampa Bay Florida area including Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties.
