Who:
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Investigative Operations Bureau
- Crimes Against Children Unit

Florida Department of Juvenile Justice

Joshua Ryan Harrison (Arrested)
Age: 27
Employment: Formerly employed by the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.
Charges: Two counts of Sexual Battery (Custodial Authority), one count of Battery, and one count of Introduction of Contraband in a Juvenile Detention Facility.  

Three male victims were 17-years of age when the crimes occurred. Per Florida Statute 119.071(2)(h)1 no further details will be released that would tend to identify the victims.

What:
Detectives assigned to the Crimes Against Children Unit have arrested a former juvenile detention officer after he sexually battered multiple juveniles while working at a juvenile detention facility in Clearwater.

When:
The incidents occurred in January 2019.

The suspect was arrested on Tuesday, March 5, 2019.

Where:
The incidents occurred at the Department of Juvenile Justice, Pinellas Regional Juvenile Detention Center located at 5255 140^th Avenue North, in Clearwater.

Why/How:
Detectives assigned to the Crimes Against Children Unit have arrested a former juvenile detention officer after he sexually battered multiple juveniles while working at a juvenile detention facility in Clearwater.

According to detectives, their investigation began on January 30, 2019, after Department of Juvenile Justice staff at the Pinellas Regional Juvenile Detention Facility in Clearwater, notified deputies of suspicion that one of their juvenile detention officers was involved in inappropriate conduct with juveniles at the facility.

Detectives say staff at the detention facility initially heard rumors that 27-year-old Joshua Harrison, a juvenile detention officer at the facility was passing notes and bringing food and contraband to juveniles at the facility.

Staff at the facility conducted an independent investigation and confirmed Harrison was on surveillance video bringing food and drinks to juvenile inmates.   

Harrison was hired by the Department of Juvenile Justice on May 1, 2018. He was assigned to monitoring the juvenile inmate housing areas during the midnight shift. Detectives learned that due to the nature of Harrison’s shift, he should have little to no contact with juvenile inmates.

Harrison was terminated by the Department of Juvenile Justice on February 4, 2019. 

Through the course of the Sheriff’s Office investigation, detectives learned that Harrison was passing notes and having personal contact with juvenile inmates during his shift. Detectives say Harrison was “grooming” some of the juvenile inmates by offering the juveniles gifts and developing a relationship with the victims so it would lead to a sexual encounter.

Detectives identified three 17-year-old male juveniles that were victimized by Harrison during the month of January 2019.

According to the first victim, Harrison offered to provide money to the boy and his mother after his release from detention. Harrison wrote notes to the boy and brought the boy food. On January 28, 2019, Harrison entered the same boy’s cell, rubbed the boy’s penis, and performed oral sex on the victim.  Harrison asked the victim to masturbate for him before offering the boy $400 not to say anything.

According to the second victim, Harrison played games with the boy. If the boy lost the game, the boy would have to expose himself to Harrison. If Harrison lost the game, Harrison would provide the boy with food and contraband. Harrison sent the boy notes and made a similar request for the boy to masturbate for him. On January 21, 2019, Harrison entered the boy’s cell and digitally penetrated the victim. Harrison returned to the same boy’s cell later that morning, kissed the boy, touched the boy’s penis, and had anal intercourse with the victim.  

According to the third victim, Harrison entered the boy’s cell on or about January 20, 2019, and groped the boy’s penis. The boy tried punching Harrison and Harrison walked out of the cell.

Detectives say surveillance video at the facility corroborated the victim’s allegations.

Detectives say at least five other juvenile inmates reported that Harrison asked them for oral and anal sex. He bribed them with food or drinks to expose themselves. He allowed inmates to use his cellular phone, allowed inmates to view pornography on his cellular phone, and provided them with Xanax.

Detectives arrested Harrison on Tuesday, March 5, 2019, and transported him to the Pinellas County Jail.

Harrison was charged with two counts of Sexual Battery (Custodial Authority), one count of Battery, and one count of Introduction of Contraband in a Juvenile Detention Facility.

Sheriff Bob Gualtieri held a press conference on March 5, 2019, at the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Administration Building located at 10750 Ulmerton Road, in Largo to discuss the arrest.  

The press conference can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/C7YCATfOf2E

The investigation continues.

Harrison booking photo.