City pays thousands for people’s property misplaced, destroyed by JSO

Jacksonville — Everything from guns, drugs, cash and electronics are stored in the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office property and evidence unit.

Some people claim police took their belongings and never returned the items.

An Action News Jax Investigation found the City of Jacksonville paid out $3,100 in settlements this year for JSO misplacing or destroying property.

Angela Brantley received $125 from the city.

She said when her son disappeared in 2017, police asked her for his electronics.

The mother signed a form and gave them his laptop, two cell phones and iPad.

When her son’s disappearance became a cold case, she asked for the belongings back.

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“When I called, the officers there stated that it was in the system, but they could not find the property,” Brantley said.

She said she eventually got one of the cell phones and the iPad, but everything else was gone.

“They said the property had been there too long and they had too much property there, so they had to start destroying property,” Brantley said.

Brantley said pictures of her son on the laptop cannot be replaced.

“That to me you could never put a price tag on,” Brantley said.

In another case, a man said his AR-15 was confiscated by JSO during a traffic stop.

The report said when he called to get his gun back, he was told they lost it.

The city paid him $1,100.

Another guy had his cell phone confiscated by JSO when he was arrested. The man claimed JSO gave the phone to the wrong person.

Documents reveal he received a $125 payout.

Action News Jax reached out to JSO to find out more about how items are stored at the property and evidence unit.

A spokesperson said each item is entered, and the reason it’s there dictates the length of time kept, as well as the removal of the item.

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