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Pasco Deputy Challenges Firing Over Comment To Girl

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By LISA A. DAVIS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 14, 2008

  Christopher Magavero

NEW PORT RICHEY - The Pasco County school resource officer who was fired from the sheriff's office last week, accused of making an inappropriate comment to a 13-year-old student, is appealing his termination.

Former Cpl. Christopher Magavero submitted a letter to the sheriff's office human resources director late Friday stating his intent to appeal. The three-sentence letter was to the point and within the three-business-day deadline to contest his termination. His wife, Kendra, signed as a witness to the letter.

The agency's Career Service Board will convene, review the case and make a ruling as to whether Magavero may return.

Sheriff's officials say that on Oct. 8, Magavero, 42, took the girl out of a class at River Ridge Middle School and to an administrative office for a chat.

"I feel like I'm falling in love with you," a sheriff's official says Magavero told the girl.

The student told a guidance councilor what happened and an investigation began immediately. Magavero, said sheriff's spokesman Doug Tobin, said he made the comments.

Sheriff Bob White immediately terminated Magavero.

Magavero has been a Pasco deputy since June 2000 and a school resource officer since 2004. He first worked at several schools as a floating resource officer but had been based at River Ridge since late 2004, Tobin said.

The sheriff's office is conducting a criminal investigation and then will do an internal affairs investigation. As part of the investigation, Magavero's computer has been seized and other students are being questions, Tobin has said.

Reporter Lisa A. Davis can be reached at (727) 815-1083.

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