JSO prison officer accused of holding family member’s throat charged with domestic battery

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A corrections officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office was arrested Monday and charged with domestic battery, according to JSO Director of Investigations Mark Romano.

JSO identified the officer as Corrections Lieutenant Alphonso Waddell, who has been with the institution for 14 years and 10 months.

Romano said officers responded to Waddell’s home around 1:30 a.m. to reports of a domestic dispute. According to JSO, the complainant told officers Waddell grabbed their throat while they were on the phone.

A child was also present at the time of the incident, confirming the complainant’s report. JSO said the child was not physically harmed.

Police were unable to identify the victim.

Waddell was arrested and charged with first-degree domestic battery, a misdemeanor. He was stripped of his authority as a corrections officer and placed on administrative status.

According to JSO, an internal investigation will begin following the conclusion of the criminal case.

This arrest marks the 16th arrest of a JSO employee this year.