ORLANDO, Fla. — An internal investigation into a Mascotte Police officer's use of force during a February 25 arrest is raising questions about the agency's transparency in the case.

Spectrum News 13's Watchdog team spent weeks looking into the case, requesting reports and body-camera footage from the arrest of 20-year-old Eduardo Ramirez by Officer Alvin Silverio.

Ramirez, now an inmate at the Lake County Jail, agreed to sit down for an interview with Watchdog reporter Stephanie Coueignoux. During that interview, we asked whether he should be charged with battery on a law enforcement officer.

"There was no reason for them to arrest me, and I didn’t touch him, I didn’t hit him, I did nothing to him," Ramirez said about Silverio.

But that's different from what Silverio wrote in a "use of force" report from the incident.

"The defendant... attempted to twist my fingers," and "... shouted 'Get the (blank) off me!' several times and refused to walk. As the defendant pulled away from me, I effected approximately two to four knee strikes and ordered him to walk," Silverio wrote, describing what happened after he put Ramirez in handcuffs.

He continues: "The defendant continued to pull away... and spit his saliva on me. As a reactionary movement... I effected approximately two to four strikes to the defendant’s head area with closed hand."

Mascotte Police Chief Eric Pedersen repeatedly declined our requests to talk about the case.

But City Manager Jim Gleason sat down with us.

"I do take it very serious," Gleason said. "And if someone were to make a complaint or concern, when it comes to me, I get it into the right hands, because I want to know at the end of the day, I can tell residents, 'You can have faith in our police officers.' "

The city of Mascotte has worked to improve the reputation of its police department after the suspension and resignation of former Police Chief Rolando Bonasco. During Bonasco's tenure, a number of officers filed lawsuits against the department, some involving allegations of discrimination and illegal recordings.

In his case, Ramirez is charged with two felonies: battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer with violence, as well as a misdemeanor trespassing charge.

He claims those charges aren’t warranted.

"There was no way I was resisting, because I was in handcuffs," Ramirez said.

Ramirez said he was taking out the trash when his dog ran off to the Mascotte Recreational Complex. That’s when Silverio and another officer showed up for a call about suspicious individuals.

Here’s part of an audio transcript from the body camera video:

  • "What... You getting mad just because I’m getting my cigarette?" Ramirez says.
  • "Dude. You want another charge?" Silverio replies.
  • "What... You what want another charge... What you mean? Assault. Assault." Ramirez asks.
  • "Uh-huh," Silverio replies.
  • "Uh-huh what? Don’t touch me... Oh wow, you see that? You see that? He’s punching me! That’s assault!" Ramirez is heard saying.

You can hear the audio in the footage, but police blurred the video.

Chief Pedersen says the agency redacted the entire video because there are juveniles in it. But Gleason, the city manager, said he's concerned about that complete redaction.

"I don’t want us holding anything that can help clear the story regardless of what the answer is," Gleason told Spectrum News 13. "It may not be the answer I want, but that’s just as important. I need to know that. I’m sorry on that. I don’t have that answer, but I sure will get it."

Ramirez told us he hopes the public will be able to see the video and decide for themselves.

Following our conversation, Gleason requested that the police chief provide us with the unedited version of the body-camera footage. We've been told we should receive that video next week.

As for Silverio, he will remain on active duty and not be put on administrative leave or desk duty, which is sometimes done during these types of investigations, Pedersen said.