Manatee deputy arrested after pulling gun during off-duty fight, sheriff says

A Manatee County Sheriff's Office deputy was arrested after allegedly pointing a gun at a man's head during an argument while he was off-duty in Sarasota last month, the agency said in a news release.

Documents show the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office arrested Benjamin Sampey, 21, on Tuesday and booked him into the Sarasota County Jail. He is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill.

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office said Sampey was at Ackerman Park, 400 Apex Road, Sarasota, on June 21 when he got into an argument with another man.

Sampey initially told Sarasota County deputies he was breaking up a fight and pulled out his handgun in self-defense, according to a news release.

But an investigation revealed that Sampey was involved in an argument when he pulled out his agency-issued gun and pointed it at the other man's head, the sheriff's office said.

“This behavior is unacceptable for an employee of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and will not be tolerated,” Sheriff Rick Wells said in the news release. “I commend the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office for acting swiftly in this matter.”

Sampey joined the sheriff’s office in February 2023 and worked in the Bureau of Corrections, the sheriff’s office said. The Bureau of Corrections operates the Manatee County Jail.

Sampey resigned after his arrest Tuesday, the sheriff's office said. Jail records showed he was being held without bail at the Sarasota County Jail.

As of Tuesday evening, an internal investigation and a criminal investigation were underway, according to the sheriff's office.