ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – An Alachua County deputy was fired Thursday over a child abuse charge against him that ended up being dropped, according to the Sheriff's Office.
In January, Deputy Clinton Ferguson was accused of repeatedly hitting and kicking a boy with disabilities, The Gainesville Sun reported.
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On Feb. 3, the Gainesville Police Department arrested Ferguson on a charge of child abuse. The Alachua County Sheriff's Office placed him on administrative leave.
Late last month, the State Attorney's Office filed "no information" with the court, which dismissed the charge due to a lack of evidence.
The Sheriff's Office, however, said an investigation by the Office of Professional Standards sustained a charge of criminal conduct, which led to Feguson's firing.
Ferguson had been employed with the Sheriff's Office since November 1999.