Rodney Philon, a former Pason County Sheriff's Deputy who worked at the detention center, found himself back in legal trouble with a DUI arrest late Wednesday night . After his arrest Philon was released from the Hillsborough County jail on a $500 bond, says Tampa DUI attorney John Musca.
Philon was previously sentenced to six months of in home detention last year after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute steroids. Philon was arrested last March after a tense six hour standoff with SWAT team members. Philon's reaction to the arrest was a factor in his sentencing last year. He told a federal judge that he simply wasn't sure why there were agents at his house and that he turned himself over to the authorities as soon as he understood what was going on. Officers from the Pasco sheriff's department at the time stated that they believed that Philon knew that deputies were present, but was considering his options and stalling. An unknown woman and Philon's daughter were present in the house with him prior to his DUI arrest.
At the time of Philon's arrest another Pasco Deputy, Don Riggans was arrested as part of a separate investigation into distribution of controlled substances. At the time evidence emerged that Philon considered joining the other conspiracy, but was excluded by the other people involved. Both Philon and Riggans were fired from the Pasco County Sheriff's department immediately after their arrests.
Philon's is not the first DUI arrest for a law enforcement officer in the Tampa area. Last April, Tampa police sergeant James Simonson, a 24 year veteran of the Tampa police, was also arrested for DUI. Simsonson submitted to a breathalyzer test and blew a .082 and .08. Simonson was off duty when the arrest occurred and was placed on administrative leave following the incident.
The original article is available here.
