NEW PORT RICHEY, Florida — A Pasco County sheriff’s deputy was fired and likely will face charges of obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence after he tried to plant evidence on a known drug suspect, Sheriff Chris Nocco said Tuesday.
Deputy Stephen LeBlanc, 29, worked with the sheriff’s office just over 18 months and had no previous disciplinary complaints, Nocco said. Allegations against LeBlanc were forwarded to the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney’s Office.
The former deputy is accused of persuading a man in a known drug neighborhood to help the law enforcement official plant evidence on Thomas Parisi, who LeBlanc in November arrested for spray-painting on a wall near Van Doren Avenue and Cross Bayou Boulevard in New Port Richey, Nocco said.
Charged with criminal mischief, Parisi had painted “Sex workers are people, too,” and an anti-law enforcement sentiment, among other things, records show.
LeBlanc then began investigating Parisi, even while he was off-duty, Nocco said.
“This is convoluted and very strange,” the sheriff said. “(LeBlanc) was asking questions of people on the street. He wasn’t in uniform and he lives nowhere near that location.
“We don’t know of any other interaction” between LeBlanc and Parisi, he said.
While Parisi was in jail, LeBlanc approached Parisi’s neighbor, James Holder, and asked him to retrieve items that could get Parisi in more trouble, Nocco said.
“He wanted to get evidence to plant on Parisi to get him jammed up on more charges,” the sheriff said. “(LeBlanc) decided not to do it, but he was trying to use Holder as his own agent.”
Holder got items LeBlanc requested and put them in a bag of Parisi’s to which LeBlanc had access, Nocco said.
After Parisi was released from jail in November, he entered a drug-rehabilitation facility and took the bag with him; in it, staff at the facility found drug paraphernalia, including spoons and a syringe, as well as a pipe that tested positive for cocaine, Nocco said.
Parisi was not arrested for having drug paraphernalia, because he was in a rehabilitation facility.
The sheriff would not disclose how the agency became aware of LeBlanc’s activity, citing an ongoing investigation. He said witnesses and body cameras aided an internal investigation.
LeBlanc was fired for conduct unbecoming of an officer, mishandling property and evidence, making inaccurate statements and failure to follow orders, among other things, the sheriff’s office said.
“LeBlanc was wrong. We don’t do that,” Nocco said. “LeBlanc made Holder feel like he could be next. I think (Holder) wanted to stay in LeBlanc’s good graces.
“We will hold ourselves accountable for our actions. Criminals don’t play by the rules, but we have to.”
Copyright 2016 Tampa Tribune, Fla.
Tribune News Service
