Pubdate: Sat, 23 Jun 2012
Source: Tampa Bay Times (FL)
Copyright: 2012 St. Petersburg Times
Contact: http://www.sptimes.com/letters/
Website: http://www.tampabay.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/419
Note: Named the St. Petersburg Times from 1884-2011.
Author: Stephen Nohlgren
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption - United States)

A THIRD PINELLAS COUNTY NARCOTICS DEPUTY RESIGNS

Paul Giavannoni of the Narcotics Unit Quits After Seeing Evidence Against Him

LARGO - The three narcotics deputies who pursued marijuana growers by 
monitoring a Largo hydroponics store have now all left the Pinellas 
County Sheriff's Office, snared by allegations of trespassing and 
other misconduct.

Paul Giovannoni, 31, resigned Friday after reading evidence against 
him collected by the Internal Affairs Division, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said.

Detective Michael Sciarrino and Sgt. Christopher Taylor, the other 
members of the grow house team, resigned earlier this week.

Gualtieri declined to provide details of the allegations, because one 
narcotics deputy and two patrol deputies still face possible 
disciplinary action in related cases. Those deputies are due to go 
before an administrative review board Tuesday, then Gualtieri will 
decide on any punishments.

Sciarrino, Taylor and Giovannoni arrested dozens of customers of the 
store, where indoor pot growers sometimes bought supplies. A 
surveillance camera captured customers' auto tag numbers, then 
deputies secured search warrants and raided houses.

In almost all the warrants, detectives said they could smell growing 
marijuana from public sidewalks or neighbors' yards. Defense lawyers 
suspected the detectives were actually trespassing to get up close to houses.

A fourth narcotics detective, Kyle Alston, sometimes accompanied the 
other three on evidence-gathering expeditions. In February, Tarpon 
Springs attorney Newt Hudson asked Alston under oath whether he ever 
saw his colleagues "jump fences," short-hand for trespassing.

Alston refused to answer.

When the Tampa Bay Times reported that refusal, Gualtieri put all 
four deputies on indefinite leave and began investigating. 
Prosecutors dropped 18 pending cases against defendants accused of 
growing pot in which the deputies' testimony was crucial.

Any discipline against Alston will be decided next week.

Giovannoni, a 7-year veteran, could not be reached for comment. He 
made news earlier this year when the Times revealed he had worn a 
Progress Energy shirt and hat to gain access to property.

That technique did not break the law, Gualtieri reiterated Friday, 
but could jeopardize any resulting criminal cases. Courts have thrown 
out evidence when police go incognito to entice people to open their doors.

Largo attorney John Trevena got wind of the uniform scheme before it 
became public and questioned Giovannoni about it under oath in February.

Giovannoni repeatedly denied wearing the uniform, then changed his 
testimony at the end of the questioning.

Under the Florida Retirement System, deputies can lose pensions only 
if convicted of felonies related to their jobs. Whether they resign 
or are fired does not affect that determination.

Gualtieri declined to comment on whether he will seek criminal 
charges in the current cases.

[sidebar]

In his own words

On Feb. 17, Largo attorney John Trevena questioned sheriff's Deputy 
Paul Giovannoni under oath, to see if he had worn company uniforms to 
gain access to private property. Here is a sampling:

Trevena: Have you ever (worn uniforms of) the U.S. Postal (Service) 
or Progress Energy or Florida Power?

Giovannoni: No sir.

Trevena: Have you ever worn a uniform to gain access to a suspected 
grow operation?

Giovannoni: No sir.

Trevena: And I suppose, when I say uniform, that would include shirt, 
hat, anything like that?

Giovannoni: No sir.

Trevena: So you have never done that?

Giovannoni: No sir.

After 19 more questions:

Giovannoni: May I add one more thing?

Trevena: Sure.

Giovannoni: Because I did recall. I did attempt, one time, to make 
contact with a gentleman, because I did have a Progress Energy shirt 
on, and he led me to the rear of his property, and that was it."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom