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Pinellas Juvenile Detention Center officer accused of beating up teen inmate: PCSO

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Published  March 13, 2025 6:16pm EDT
Pinellas County
FOX 13 News

The Brief

    • A Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Detention officer was arrested for child abuse on Wednesday, according to PCSO.
    • PCSO says Anthony Sandora, 60, beat up a 15-year-old inmate after finding the teenager kicking his cell door and flooding his cell.
    • According to the sheriff's office, Sandora was also fired for the incident.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - A Department of Juvenile Justice Detention officer was arrested for child abuse on Wednesday after deputies say he slapped, pushed, and punched a teenage inmate, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.

The backstory:

According to deputies, a 15-year-old inmate at the Pinellas Juvenile Detention Center requested staff assistance on Tuesday. 

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office says Anthony Sandora, 60, was on duty at the time and assigned to the area where the inmate was housed.

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When Sandora did not respond to the teen’s request, investigators say the inmate began to kick his cell door. 

Mugshot of Anthony Sandora. Courtesy: Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. 

Dig deeper:

Deputies said Sandora then opened the door and was seen entering the cell and slapping the teen in the face before pushing him down onto a bed. 

Before leaving the teen's cell, Sandora tossed all the inmate's belongings into the hallway, according to PCSO.

Approximately five minutes later, deputies say Sandora re-entered the teen’s cell after the teen began to intentionally flood it with water.

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According to deputies, Sandora then grabbed the teen by the neck, pushed him back onto the bed, and punched him in the face.

The day after the alleged incident, Sandora was arrested and charged with one count of child abuse.

Sandora was employed by the Department of Juvenile Justice for approximately 10 months and was terminated for violating the department's policies.

What's next:

The inmate was moved to an isolation cell and did not sustain any injuries during the incident.

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The Source: This story was written with information provided by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

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