On a warm fall night two years ago, as the moon rose over Lake Tarpon, a silver Nissan Pathfinder rolled down a boat ramp and plunged into water the color of dark chocolate.
No one was inside as the Pathfinder sank. Its registered owner was Robert Scott Gattuso, a resident of New Port Richey. He said it had been stolen.
Gattuso was a Pasco County sheriff’s deputy. He was paid to investigate others. Now he found himself under investigation.
Again.
In two decades with the agency, Gattuso has been investigated for 30 possible policy violations. Thirteen of the allegations were sustained, including discourtesy, insubordination, conduct unbecoming, conflict of interest and attempted forgery. In one case, Sheriff Bob White kept him suspended, with pay, for more than a year - meaning Gattuso collected nearly $48,000 for no work - and then returned him to the road, with a badge and a .40-caliber Glock, to enforce the laws of Florida.
Gattuso remains employed by Sheriff White today. So do others with extensive records of careless job performance.
Front page news. WOW, and this guy is still employed? Bob White, a little birdie told me that you need to be fired, along with your corrupt staff.
Got to love some of the comments. What does this guy have on Bob White, to keep his job as he has for the past 19 years?
This guy was charged with a felony, fired and got a years pay, for doing nothing and is working for the same department, now making 60K a year. A good example of Florida law enforcement and the good ole boy network, as well as a waste of taxpayers money.
Any good defense attorney would chew these guys up and spit them out in a courtroom.
