An Ocala man has filed a federal lawsuit against the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, claiming he was unlawfully detained for two days, that he experienced racial trauma and humiliation, and that he was denied psychiatric medications for schizophrenia and anxiety despite posting a “valid bond” of $25,000.
Ivan Rondon filed the lawsuit against Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Marion County Jail in the United States Middle District Court of Florida on July 29.
According to the complaint, Rondon, who lives in Marion Oaks, paid a $1,198 purge fee related to a child support order on July 15, 2024. The following day, he posted a $25,000 bond through A-1 Bail Bonds. The complaint includes documentation of both transactions and alleges that jail staff were informed of these actions, both directly by Rondon and by his ex-girlfriend, who provided printed confirmation to the jail.
Rondon claims that when he presented his release paperwork to jail personnel on November 17, 2024, he was told by a sergeant that he was “not going anywhere,” despite having documentation verifying compliance. Furthermore, Rondon alleges that the sergeant told him that he either had an “immigration hold” or “child support” hold, even though he had proof that the latter had been resolved.
“When I tried to show my documentation, Sgt. Bowley said: ‘You’re not going anywhere,’ and walked away without further explanation,” reads a statement from Rondon in the complaint.
Additionally, the lawsuit alleges that during his two days in custody, Rondon was denied access to prescribed psychiatric medications, including Risperdal and Buspirone, which he takes for schizophrenia and anxiety, respectively. According to the filing, the denial led to worsening mental health symptoms, including hallucinations and emotional breakdowns.
During his two-day stay, Rondon alleges that he sustained a jaw injury during an altercation with another inmate “due to improper cell assignment.” He claims he also sustained a “broken left toe resulting from another altercation caused by overcrowding and negligence.”
In addition to the alleged physical injuries, Rondon claims he experienced “severe emotional distress, PTSD, and exacerbation” of his schizophrenia and anxiety due to “denial of necessary medical care.”
In support of Rondon’s claims, the lawsuit puts forth statements from his aunt, Antonia Rondon, who confirmed his purge payment with the Marion County Clerk of Courts, and his former girlfriend, Brenda Weber, who allegedly traveled to the jail to advocate for his release.
In an affidavit attached to the complaint, Weber states that she was told multiple times that Rondon “would be released any minute now,” only to find he remained incarcerated 24 hours later. When she appeared at the jail in person and verified that the bond and purge had been satisfied, jail staff “refused to speak with her beyond stating that they ‘would look into it.'”
Rondon is suing on multiple counts: Wrongful detention, denial of medical care, failure to train and supervise, negligence, and a violation of his detainee rights and medical access. He is seeking $500,000 for “severe mental anguish, PTSD, and exacerbation of schizophrenia and compensation for medical treatment, racial trauma and ongoing pain from the jaw injury.” The complaint also lists lost wages as $5,000 for income lost during his wrongful detention, as well as legal fees in the amount of $2,500, and $998 in overpayment of child support.
Marion County Jail records show that Rondon has been arrested at least eight times dating back to 2011.
The lawsuit comes amidst several others that have been filed against the Marion County Sheriff’s Office this year:
- A former deputy claims he was retaliated against after he reported his sergeant and captain to human resources for allegedly calling him “a little dark,” suggesting he would get stationed in Reddick to “contend with the ‘monkeys,'” and forcing him and his colleagues to unlawfully doctor reports, among several other accusations.
- Another former employee claims she was retaliated against her after she repeatedly voiced concerns over the quality of inmate health care at Marion County Jail.
- The family of a 73-year-old disabled veteran of the Vietnam War with special needs alleges that Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies improperly used deadly force, pepper spray, and tasers before leaving the man for dead in a cell floor for two days.
- An Ocala man who was strip searched and wrongfully detained for 24 hours claims the sheriff’s office never reimbursed him for the cost of attorney’s fees and towing expenses he incurred.
As of this publication, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office has not filed a response in court to Rondon’s complaint and no hearing dates have been set.