Two Florida Correctional Officers Arrested

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. --

Two Jacksonville Sheriff's Office corrections officers were arrested after investigations of separate incidents inside the Duval County jail.

Lonnie Richard Snodgrass, 39, is accused of battery against a pregnant woman -- a second-degree felony.

The female inmate said that in early August, Snodgrass grabbed her by the shirt, pushed her hard into an elevator, causing her stomach to hit the back rail.

"The officer that was inside the glassed-in (control) room left the room, went outside the room, placed his hands on this female and then physically threw her in the elevator," Undersheriff Frank Mackasey said.

Witnesses said they heard a loud "thud."

Later in August, Officer Felipe Garcia, 40, is accused of using a Taser gun to threaten an inmate before hitting him.

According to the police report, a lieutenant walked by a holding cell and saw Garcia place his issued Taser gun under the chin of the inmate and yell, "I will taze you (expletive)." Garcia then allegedly slapped the inmate on his face.

"This is the kind of the part of the job that we don't like, but we're committed to it because when your loved one gets put in that jail or is arrested on the street, you need to have confidence that they're going to be treated in a professional manner," Mackesey said.

Both officers are also accused of lying on forms they filled out after the incidents, drawing a charge of official misconduct by a public servant.

Mackesey said it wants corrections officers to protect themselves, but within the law.

"It's not whether or not you use force, because we're in the use-of-force business," Mackesey said. "We have to do it. It's how you use that force. We will stand behind our employees 100 percent if they do it right and it's reasonable."

Both officers are suspended without pay pending the outcome of their criminal cases.

Copyright 2008 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.