Sheriff: Manatee deputy arrested after drawing gun during off-duty brawl

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

According to records, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office arrested 21-year-old Benjamin Sampey on Tuesday and booked him into the Sarasota County Jail on charges of 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 officials that he wanted to break up a fight and drew his gun in self-defense, a press release said.

However, 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 to any employee of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and will not be tolerated,” Sheriff Rick Wells said in the press release. “I commend the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office for their swift action in this case.”

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

Sampey resigned after his arrest on Tuesday, the sheriff’s office said. Jail records show he was being held without bail in the Sarasota County Jail.

According to the sheriff’s office, an internal investigation and a criminal investigation were underway Tuesday evening.