Polk deputy fired for writing to inmate

A Highlands County inmate charged with the death of a Polk County detention deputy is now at the center of another deputy's firing.

Detention deputy Maria Guzman, 31, was terminated Wednesday for untruthfulness and conduct unbecoming a member of the Polk County Sheriff's Office, according to a press release.

An investigation found that Guzman had written five letters to Barnett, who was being housed at the Polk County Jail on charges stemming from the 2007 death of Highlands County resident Bryan "Red" Fanning.

On Aug. 30, 2009, Guzman was the officer in charge in the South County Jail facility's master control. Part of her duties was to make 15-minute checks on the inmates housed in isolation, according to information from the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

Guzman told her supervisors Barnett had been harassing her and threatened to reveal the letters she wrote. He also made allegations she was helping him in a tax return scam, the PCSO said. The deputy originally denied writing the letters.

Finally, during a recorded interview on Oct. 21, Guzman admitted to writing the letters. She told investigators Barnett's first letter stated he found her attractive and also offered her money.

Guzman said she wrote Barnett because, "I didn't want to be talking to him and, you know, giving him, like, attention and standing in front of his door and trying to make it seem like there was something going on," according to a summary of facts from the PCSO.

In future letters, Guzman said she addressed Barnett as "sweetie," but did not want to have a "sexual or personal relationship," the summary stated.

By the fourth letter, Guzman wrote, "maybe when you're out, something can be made of this," and, "when you touch down I'll know, but not while you're in the house." She told investigators she was trying to appease Barnett, but had no intention of having any contact with outside of her rounds.

An inmate of trouble

The situation with Guzman is the latest example of problems - one tragic - that Polk County deputies have reportedly had with Barnett.

He is facing a charge of battery in a county jail or detention facility, a third-degree felony, because of allegations that he beat up another Polk County inmate on Feb. 8, 2009.

Then, on Aug. 30 of last year, Barnett allegedly battered and shoved Polk County Sgt. Ronnie Brown when he and other deputies went to the inmate's cell because he was being unruly and had broken the cell's fire sprinkler, according to the PCSO.

Brown later died on Sept. 8 while recovering from surgery to fix the serious back injury he suffered.

On Sept. 22, a Polk County grand jury indicted Barnett on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer with violence.

Barnett, 28, is already facing 30 years in prison after Polk County Judge J. Michael Hunter denied his motion on Feb. 9 of this year to back out of the Fanning plea agreement. Formal sentencing is scheduled for May 13.

The inmate is now back in Highlands County Jail following his incarceration at the Hillsborough County Jail once the Polk County indictments came down.

Highlands County Sheriff's Major David Paeplow, detention bureau commander, said Barnett has been going back and forth between Highlands and Polk counties for his hearings, but has been housed locally since Dec. 8.

The major said deputies only had minor issues with him when he was first incarcerated for the Fanning murder.

Paeplow said Barnett is housed in the same area as the rest of the inmates, but he is not allowed to cohabitate with them at the same time.

"He's in what we call administrative confinement based on his activities," Paeplow said.