By KEITH MORELLI
The Tampa Tribune

TAMPA - A Hillsborough County sheriff’s deputy was released from jail Thursday after his arrest the night before on a charge of beating his wife.

Melvin N. Jones, 39, was charged with one count of domestic battery, a first-degree misdemeanor. A Tampa police arrest report said his wife, Roxanne, accused him of grabbing her by her arms, lifting her up and throwing her to the ground. He did this twice, the report said, in front of one of their children in his west Tampa home.

The 13-year-old child, whose name was not released, told police his parents were arguing and his father wanted to leave. The child said it appeared that his mother, who was wearing socks, slipped on the tile floor and that he did not see his father batter his mother.

The report said the 37-year-old woman told officers that violence in the home has been a recurring problem, but that she had lied to police in the past to cover it up.

The two were involved in an argument about Melvin Jones wanting to break up, the report said. Roxanne Jones was blocking the door and he was trying to leave when the battery occurred, the report said. She had bruises on her right arm, but did not require medical attention.

The two have been married for 20 years and have two children.

Jones was arrested about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday and spent the night at the Orient Road Jail without bail being set. At his first appearance hearing Thursday morning, a judge allowed him to be released without having to post any bail. Records show Jones being let out of jail around 2 p.m. Thursday.

Jones transferred to the patrol division of District 3 a month ago, after being a school resource deputy at Jennings and Burns middle schools since July 2004.

He works the day shift, covering the area north of Linebaugh Avenue in northwest Hillsborough County, said sheriff’s Capt. Rod Reder, who is Jones” supervisor. Jones has been with the agency since Sept. 30, 1993.

“We put him on administrative leave, which is policy,” Reder said, “especially since this involves allegations of domestic violence. We take this very seriously.”

Reder said that in addition to the Tampa police criminal investigation, the sheriff’s office will conduct an internal investigation to determine if any of the agency’s office regulations were violated.

A conviction of a domestic battery charge could lead to Jones being prohibited from carrying a gun, and that could lead to him either leaving the agency or taking an office job.

Sheriff’s supervisors were expected to decide this week whether Jones would work in the office in plain clothes or spend time at home with pay, Reder said.

Contact Keith Morelli at (813) 865-1504 or kmorelli@tampatrib.com

---

Get Weekly Deals | Write a letter to the editor | Subscribe and get two weeks free | Place an Ad