MSO July Employee of the Month

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office has named Jason Smith employee of the month for  July in light of his actions at a May 18 burglary scene. 

Smith processed a burglary crime scene where more than $35,000 worth of property was stolen, including a firearm. He took several photographs of apparent latent prints from a metal box and submitted the prints for lab analysis, a media release said. 

Those prints led law enforcement to a known burglar recently released from prison, the release said. The State Attorney’s Office and Department of Corrections has since charged the suspect, and he is facing up to 30 years, just for the violation of probation.