Case dropped against former Hillsborough County sergeant accused of assaulting inmate
TAMPA, Fla. - On a hot July day, Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Janak Amin's 21-year career was suddenly over.
"We went into internal affairs and I was fired and arrested," recalled Amin.
While that was a bitter pill to swallow, nothing was tougher than having to tell his family and parents.
"You do your job like you were trained to do it and you get fired and arrested. It's almost like a betrayal," said Amin.
Amin was accused of pointing a gun at an inmate’s head and threatening to shoot if he didn't identify himself during the arrest.
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He was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
At a press conference that same day, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister called the sergeant's actions despicable.
"It’s almost like [Chronister] was gleeful," Amin recalled.
His arrest came during a wave of nationwide protests against police brutality.
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Amin’s wife, Teresa said the arrest her husband made was different.
"I had many people reach out to me and call Janak, what they thought was a sacrificial lamb for the sake of politics," claimed Mrs. Amin.
Amin also had the backing of local retired law enforcement who signed a letter expressing their support for Amin and his actions that day.
His attorney, Paul Sisco called it a rush to judgment and said the state’s case against Amin soon started to crumble.
"The original complainants, to a large extent, are backing off their story in terms of telling other deputies they work with they were coerced or forced to stick by those stories," claimed Sisco.
Late Friday afternoon, six months after Amin's arrest, the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office announced it would not pursue charges.
"I love my job but it’s a job, it’s not your family. Make sure you take care of your family first," Amin reflected on the ordeal as he clutched his wife's hand.
He and his attorney are grateful to the state attorney's office for conducting a thorough and fair investigation. Amin says he now plans to pursue civil action against the sheriff's office for wrongful termination.
FOX 13 reached out to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office for a comment. In a written statement by Sheriff Chronister, he wrote, "Janak Amin was terminated as a result of his actions on July 9, 2020. The State Attorney’s decision has no impact on that determination."