The daddy of 10-year-old Florida boy accused of threatening to shoot up his college insists an overzealous sheriff falsely “crucified” his son for political acquire within the wake of the Uvalde bloodbath.
Dereck Marquez blasted native regulation enforcement after his fifth-grade son, Daniel, was handcuffed on Might 28 for allegedly threatening to hold out a mass taking pictures at Patriot Elementary Faculty in Cape Coral.
“He mainly simply crucified my son as a result of he needed his personal quarter-hour of fame after the Uvalde tragedy,” Marquez advised The Submit, referring to final month’s college taking pictures in Texas — and the way his son was arrested 4 days later.
“He needed to make use of that tragedy for his personal political acquire and I believe that’s sick. That’s a sick factor to do as an grownup who ought to know higher.”
Marquez, a 35-year-old US Military veteran now working as an actual property agent, believes Lee County Sheriff Lee Marceno was seizing a chance to get his personal face in entrance of cameras and give interviews to retailers worldwide.
“The sheriff noticed a brand new story and noticed the potential for utilizing my son to get on the information as effectively,” Marquez stated. “The second that he noticed there might be a correlation or there might be one thing there, he took it and ran with it.”
Marceno, whose payments himself as “Florida’s Legislation and Order Sheriff,” defended his actions in an announcement to The Submit on Friday.
“As sheriff, the security and safety of our college students and faculties in Lee County has been my prime precedence,” he stated. “We act instantly to analyze any and all threats in opposition to our college students or faculties.”
Deputies and detectives in Lee County implement legal guidelines with out “concern or favor,” Marceno continued.
“These extremely skilled professionals carried out, as they all the time do, an entire and thorough investigation that resulted on this arrest,” the sheriff stated.
Marceno’s workplace posted video to Fb in late Might displaying Daniel – clad in blue Crocs and camouflage jacket — being led to an awaiting police car whereas handcuffed. Marceno on the time blasted the 4-foot-11, 103-pound boy as a “delinquent” whereas noting the slaughter in Uvalde simply 4 days earlier.
“It’s not humorous,” Marceno stated in a Might 28 assertion. “This youngster made a faux menace, and now he’s experiencing actual penalties.”
Daniel allegedly despatched a good friend a textual content message saying he “scammed” one other buddy out of a big sum of cash, together with an image purporting to be the alleged money, which was actually only a Google inventory picture. Seconds later, Daniel stated he “purchased this” together with one other Google picture of “4 AR fashion rifles,” in response to an arrest report.
Daniel’s ultimate message to his good friend allegedly learn, “Prepare for water day” – a reference to an upcoming school-sponsored occasion during which college students take part in water actions.
Letitia Kim, director of the authorized community on the Basis In opposition to Intolerance and Racism, a New York-based nonprofit group supporting Marquez and Daniel, stated the alleged menace was a “complete fabrication.”
“The officers on the scene knew this was a Google inventory picture,” Kim advised The Submit on Friday. “They knew it was not a photograph that Daniel had personally taken of firearms in his possession. And if that they had accomplished any investigation, equivalent to going into the home, they'd have seen that Daniel had no entry to firearms of any sort.”
Daniel’s father, in the meantime, took subject with Marceno releasing video of his son’s face previous to his preliminary look earlier than a choose on a felony cost of constructing a written menace to conduct a mass taking pictures.
Marquez insisted Daniel — an honor roll pupil and three-year Boy Scout who had by no means been in hassle previous to his arrest – nonetheless doesn’t perceive “why he bought locked up for 2 photos” despatched to a good friend.
Marquez stated he “completely” believes almost three weeks in a juvenile detention facility traumatized Daniel, whose college yr ended final week. He’ll begin sixth grade within the fall at a brand new college, and can seemingly quickly begin seeing a counselor, in response to his dad.
“The entire expertise was onerous on him,” Marquez stated. “It’s an expertise for a kid and it’s not one.”
The Boy Scouts of America have additionally sidelined Daniel since his well-publicized arrest, Marquez stated.
“They’re nonetheless ready on what the state will do,” he stated.
Marquez has additionally obtained blowback from Daniel’s bust, together with a stranger’s e mail he posted on Fb.
“Your son is a menace,” the message learn. “Possibly he doesn’t perceive the gravity of the state of affairs as a result of he had a horrible upbringing. It’s not a political ploy, your son made threats and he has to face penalties.”
Prosecutors early Monday didn't file expenses in opposition to Daniel at his arraignment, which was rescheduled for July 11, his legal professional Douglas Molloy advised The Submit. He had been anticipating to study whether or not prosecutors shall be continuing within the case in opposition to him, Kim stated.
“We definitely would urge that this whole matter be dropped as a result of there is no such thing as a foundation for any expenses of any sort,” Kim stated Friday.
Bion Bartning, FAIR’s president, stated there was no justification for Monday’s delay.
“They didn't file expenses, but additionally didn't drop the case — which implies they nonetheless don’t want to show over proof for his or her false claims,” Bartning advised The Submit Monday. “This leaves an harmless 10-year-old boy beneath ‘home arrest,’ and his household in limbo, unnecessarily.”
Forward of Monday’s transient court docket look, Marquez stated his son’s arrest led to his face being “plastered throughout social media.”
“My son has been falsely accused, and he’s fully harmless … My son may’ve been your son, it may’ve been your daughter,” Marquez advised The Submit. “Think about the way you’d really feel.”
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