MSCO Employee and Deputy of the Month

BRADENTON – An MCSO employee worked with investigators in the department's Crimes Against Children division to bring a a 23-year fugitive to justice, while a deputy's quick thinking while on vacation allowed him to save his father's life after a severe boating accident. They are the MCSO employee and deputy of the month. 

In August 1990, there was an investigation where a suspect confessed to the crime of Capital Sexual Battery. Once the charge was filed by the State Attorney’s Office, the suspect fled to Alabama, where he was arrested and extradited back to Manatee County. 

In February 1993, he was released on bond and fled again with his whereabouts unknown since then. MSO detectives and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) issued a warrant for fleeing prosecution. In 2013, the Crimes Against Children detectives began a fresh and aggressive search for the suspect. 

MCSO's Don Brown worked with investigators through family members’ social media pages and was able to develop a link to a man in Alaska under a different name that  was determined was deceased. After further work with local and federal agencies, in June 2014, probable cause was found to arrest the man for identity theft and search warrants executed positively identified the fugitive using the deceased man’s name.

Because of his tenacious work with investigators, a 23-year fugitive is now in custody to face the crimes he has committed, for which Don is awarded Employee of the Month for July 2014.

On July 12, Deputy Carmine Luper was on vacation in St. Lucia on a sailboat with his father and step-mother. When they were about 200 yards out, a sudden wind pushed the boat onto its side. As his father tried to slide off the trampoline between the  pontoons to exit the boat, his leg got caught in a nylon strap. The boat whipped around and snapped his leg in two; he also hit his head and was knocked unconscious and fell into the water.

Deputy Luper swam to his father, took the strap from his leg, kept his head above water and brought him back to shore so he could be transported to the hospital. Deputy Luper stayed with his parents and was a great help to them getting back to Miami and, eventually, Manatee County. Throughout the ordeal, Deputy Luper remained calm and took control of the situation to ensure the  wellbeing of his parents. Deputy Luper’s father believes that he saved his life.

For his abilities to remain calm and take appropriate action in a dangerous situation involving a loved one, Deputy Carmine Luper is awarded Deputy of the Month for July 2014.

TBT salutes both of these county employees for their Contributions and service to our community.