Wakulla County Correctional Officers charged with misconduct and more

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Department of Corrections have filed charges against three employees a the state prison in Wakulla County after an investigation revealed the three abused inmates at the prison and then falsified reports about it.

FDLE began investigating the three in March after receiving a complaint from the Florida Department of Corrections’ Office of Inspector General.

According to investigators, an inmate made a disparaging remark about Captain Megan Dillard which resulted in Dillard allegedly falsifying 13 disciplinary reports against 13 different inmates.  

The false disciplinary reports resulted in a loss of privileges and a transfer to a confinement dormitory. 

While the inmates were being transferred to the dormitory, Corrections Officer Andrew Gazapian allegedly battered one of the inmates by forcing him to the ground and then using a chemical spray on him. 

Gazapian then falsified a report to say the inmate was being combative and had bitten him on the left arm. 

Investigation later revealed that the inmate was not being combative and that Gazapian had bitten himself and blamed the injury on the inmate.

After the inmate was transferred to the confinement cell, he was again sprayed three times with a chemical agent for allegedly causing a disturbance in his cell. 

The investigation revealed there was no disturbance and reports of the inmate’s actions had been falsified at the direction of Major Joseph. Garrison.

Major Garrison of Crawfordville, has been charged with one count of official misconduct.

Captain Dillard of Tallahassee was charged with 13 counts of official misconduct and Correctional officer Gazapian also of Tallahassee will be charged with one count of official misconduct, one count of fabricating physical evidence, and one count of battery.

Garrison and Dillard were arrested and processed at the Wakulla County Jail.  

Gazapian was located by FDLE out of state and was ordered to turn himself in when he returns to Florida next week.

All of the inmates involved in this incident have been moved out of the Wakulla Correctional Institution.

The Office of State Attorney Willie N. Meggs, 2nd Judicial Circuit, will prosecute this case.

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