JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The latest round of finger pointing between the state attorney and the sheriff's office has become a hot button political issue as the two candidates for the state attorney position weighed in on a controversial decision made by the current state attorney.

The issue centers around the arrest of Vernon Pandy, 24, on a gun charge. While Pandy's arrest normally wouldn't be newsworthy, the suspect had a powerful ally in former Jaguar Tony Boselli who appealed to State Attorney Harry Shorstein and was able to get the charge reduced.

In the past, Sheriff John Rutherford and other senior members of sheriff's office have criticized Shorstein for dropping too many cases or entering too many plea deals.

Fraternal Order of Police President Nelson Cuba jumped into the fray on Tuesday, criticizing Shorstein for having an "unaggressive corporate culture under your leadership."

Cuba specifically criticized Shorstein for allowing Pandy to plead guilty to misdemeanor carrying a concealed firearm, even though it was his second arrest for felony carrying a concealed firearm.

In the letter to Shorstein, Cuba said the deal was cut after "Tony Boselli intervened in some fashion on behalf of the defendant." Cuba complained the agreement was made without consulting the arresting officer.

A day later, Jay Plotkin, who is Shorstein's chief assistant, and his opponent Angela Corey discussed how they would have responded to Boselli's request.

Plotkin said he disagrees with his boss's decisions to lower Pandy's charges, but he said bringing the issue out in public is a political scheme by Cuba to get rival Angela Corey elected.

"Nelson Cuba does not run the sheriff's office, and I can assure you that when I am honored to be the next state attorney, the political boss of the union will not run the state attorney's office," Plotkin said.

As for how Corey would have handled the Pandy situation, she said she would have talked to the police before making any decision on possibly lowering the charges.

Regarding Plotkin's accusation that the issue is simply political, Corey said she had nothing to do with it's coming up.

"Of course not. The state attorney's office here, which everyone is well aware I am no longer a part of, filed the charges. They disposed of the charges. They chose the timing of the plea. How does that everything to do with me or this campaign?" Corey said.

Channel 4 reporter Jim Piggott talked with Cuba to determine if the issue was a campaign ploy.

"Angela Corey had no idea we were sending this letter out. It has nothing to do with the election. It's not about the election. It's not about Jay Plotkin. This letter was to Mr. Shorstein to find a way to get his office to start communicating with the officers on the street," Cuba said.

The prosecutor who handled the Pandy case told Channel 4 she was surprised by the attention it has received. She said the charges were dropped because she believed it was the best thing to do.

With about a month of campaigning left, the state attorney's race has been heating up. Channel 4 invites viewers to tune in on August 12 at 8 p.m., when both candidates will take part in a live TV debate.