Citrus County corrections officer arrested for battery of fellow corrections officer
Graphic of Lee courtesy of CCSO.
Citrus County, Florida - On March 28, 2023, 34 year-old David Lee of Beverly Hills, Florida, a corrections officer at the Citrus County Detention Facility, was arrested on a Citrus County warrant that charged him with battery of a fellow law enforcement officer.
The arrest was the result of an investigation by the Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) Behavioral Health Unit (BHU) after staff members at the Citrus County Detention Facility reported, via their chain of command, that Correctional Officer Lee may have battered a fellow correctional officer while in the performance of daily operations at the detention facility (managed since 1995 by CoreCivic, formerly Corrections Corporation of America). As the result of their internal investigation, Lee was placed on administrative leave.
CoreCivic contacted the CCSO, and BHU Detective Ramon was assigned the case. According to the initial report of the incident, the victim was speaking with Lee, when without provocation, Lee became aggressive and battered the victim. Detective Rivera interviewed the victim and witnesses regarding the battery allegation. He gathered evidence that supported the victim's statements and obtained a warrant for Lee's arrest.
Lee was taken into custody at the Citrus County Detention Facility. His bond was set at $5,000.
"We have zero tolerance for violence in the workplace," said Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast. "Often, crimes of this nature can go unreported, but I am glad that we were able to start an investigation alongside CoreCivic and quickly put an end to Lee's threatening presence. At no point should anyone be bullied, let alone battered while trying to do their job."