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Highlands Today

Lantern Darkens Deputy's Long Career

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By Joe  Seelig | Highlands Today

Published: November 17, 2007

SEBRING — Highlands County Det. Sgt. Sharon Glisson resigned Oct. 12 for medical reasons, during an internal investigation into how a florescent camping lantern vanished from a growhouse and one just like it ended up in her garage.

The investigation by Sheriff's Lt. Gaspar "Gus" Garcia, which sustained allegations of theft and misconduct by Det. Lawrence Daniel Schneider, of the Avon Park Police Department, who is on loan to the sheriff's drug task force, cast a dark cloud on the last months of Glisson's nearly 20-year career.

On Aug. 28, the Sheriff's Special Investigations Unit searched a growhouse at 3010 Cedora Terrace, in Sebring. Glisson was supervisor on the case.

As the growhouse raid was winding down, Schneider claimed he saw Glisson come out of the house holding something, which he said she put outside by the front door. He shined his light on the object and saw it was a lantern.

He later saw what he thought was the same in Glisson's car. He took pictures of the Ray-O-Vac lantern and later notified his supervisors, the report stated.

When Sheriff Susan Benton heard of the incident, she began an investigation assigning Lt. John Chess, who she referred to as her "go-to-guy," meaning her best qualified detective, during a private meeting with Highlands Today.

The next morning Glisson's supervisors contacted her and asked about the lantern. Glisson could not recall and later opened up her home to an inspection.

A similar lantern was found in her garage.

"A forensic review of the located lantern was conducted and compared to photographs and prior video taken from within the search warrant site," Benton wrote in a news release. "This review led detectives to believe that the lantern in question is one and the same."

A search of the growhouse indicated a lantern that had been videotaped prior was no longer in the house. However, the growhouse reportedly had not been secured overnight, according to Garcia.

Another flaw in the case for Garcia is no one saw Glisson take it and put it in her car. Two detectives aside from Schneider saw a lantern in Glisson's car that night, Garcia said.

As a result of the finding, Glisson was placed on administrative leave during the investigation. Her resignation letter stated she could no longer "fulfill the physical capacity demanded of a law enforcement officer."

Chess finished his investigation and submitted his findings to the state attorney's office.

Assistant State Attorney Steve Houchin reviewed the case with his supervisors in Bartow, where it was determined they could not prosecute.

The reason is no victim or owner of the lantern has to-date been located who can say that particular lantern belonged to them and is in fact missing from the residence and further, that they wish to prosecute. The case remains pending.

Garcia said the people living at the home were renters and the owner was being sought by investigators for questioning.

The allegation of the policy violation was sustained based upon the preponderance of the evidence. Glisson has made a request to enter a name-clearing response to her personnel file.

That name-clearing process is afforded to all public employees for matters of this nature and is due by Dec. 5.

"It is unfortunate that a long dedicated career ends in such a manner," Benton said Friday. "But, internal checks and balances and law enforcement's ability to police ourselves is essential to maintaining the public's trust."

Since January 1983 Glisson has served the sheriff's office in numerous positions and her performance has been outstanding. She has received several letters of commendation and most recently won the award of "Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer of the Year," by the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District, for her work with the DEA Task Force in an undercover capacity.

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