Jacksonville, FL — The now-former Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office detective accused of evidence tampering and petit theft has reached a deal to close the case against him- which includes dropping the more serious charge.
We first told you back in October that 11-year veteran Jason Mann had been arrested for allegedly taking a $100 bill from a scene where JSO served a narcotics search warrant. JSO says, after a Sergeant on the scene was told about the missing money, he ordered everyone to empty their pockets. JSO further says the missing bill was found in Mann's pocket, and he admitted to taking it.
The disposition reached with Mann deals with the petit theft charge- a misdemeanor- but the more serious charge of evidence tampering is not being pursued. Court records show that in mid-December, Mann’s case was transferred from Circuit to County court, with only the petit theft charge filed.
We’ve asked the State Attorney’s Office why the evidence tampering charge was dropped. The response says only that it was part of the negotiated disposition and allowed the case to move to County Court.
Mann pleaded no contest to the petit theft charge today. Adjudication is being withheld while he serves 12 months of probation with no early termination option. Mann will also be required to serve 50 hours of community service. He resigned from JSO at the time of his arrest, but the disposition prevents him from seeking any law enforcement position in the Fourth Circuit in the future. The disposition document obtained by WOKV further shows the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is reviewing the case and could bar Mann from serving in Florida at all.
The disposition says Mann proposed the deal, which initially included offering to plead guilty. It further says Mann intends to relocate to Tennessee.
“The resolution is consistent with the treatment of similarly situated individuals, and the negotiated sentence ensures that Mr. Mann no longer occupies a position to commit similar crimes in the future,” says a statement from the State Attorney’s Office.
Chief Assistant State Attorney Mac Heavener III says in the disposition that this deal is appropriate for a few key reasons, including that the amount of the theft is small, and something that would typically be sent to diversion for first time offenders.
He also raises questions about a legal issue that could have complicated the case- whether the Sergeant on scene ordering others to empty their pockets was a legal search.
According to the disposition, Mann had a proposed motion to suppress that search, based on the Fourth Amendment and a prior legal case. Heavener disputed whether the case cited by Mann would apply, and believes the search is permitted under a specific exception dealing with work-related investigations. Despite that, he says neither side was able to find case law clearly supporting whether this case would have qualified for that exception.
“Given the uncertain status of the law, the novelty of this issue, and the dispositive nature of an adverse ruling, the proposed disposition will avoid litigation risk, while accomplishing our prosecutorial objectives,” the disposition says.
Heavener also says JSO agrees to the disposition.
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