Photo: NeJame LawA Florida deputy will be charged after he used a Taser on an alleged suspect who had gasoline spilled on him while filling up his dirt bike at a Wawa gas station in February, which resulted in the suspect being “cooked alive,“according to his lawyers.Officers say the alleged suspect, Jean Barreto, was driving recklessly with a group of other motorists. According to an initialnews releasefrom the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office on Feb. 28, multiple citizens called in to report “individuals on motorcycles who were pointing guns at people” the day earlier.After officers arrived on the scene, “a traffic stop was attempted on the suspect; however, the suspect ignored the marked patrol car with lights and sirens activated and continued to flee,” and they did not pursue the alleged suspect.Officers later obtained information that Barreto, 26, was filling up at a gas station after breaking away from the group.According to a Facebook post from Barreto’s lawyers, Mark NeJame and Albert Yonfa, multiple officers attempted to apprehend him. The motorist was taken down from behind, and gas from his bike — he had finished filling up but did not place the gas cap back on all the way — spilled on him.Osceola County Deputy David Crawford then allegedly took a Taser that was originally discarded at the scene and used it on Barreto, whose body was immediately engulfed in flames. Surveillance footage from a Thursdaypress conferenceshows deputies using a fire extinguisher to put out the flames. Deputy Crawford also sustained injuries in the incident.Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.“While being cooked alive, Mr. Barreto sustained third degree burns on approximately 75% of his body, front and back from his feet to the bottom of his neck,” Barreto’s legal team wrote on Facebook, adding that he is “without skin on most of his body” and is “bleeding profusely still.“Per a press conference from Osceola Sheriff Marcos Lopez on Thursday, Deputy Crawford will be charged with culpable negligence, a misdemeanor.“This isn’t a common crime to charge,” Sheriff Lopez said, offering a detailed explanation of the charge. “Deputy Crawford was aware there was gas in the direct and immediate area. We know this because he says on the body cam, ‘Kill the pump! Kill the pump! Gas!’ ““After that statement, he picked up the discarded Taser that was located in gas, and says, ‘You’re about to get tased, dude.’ Immediately after that statement with the Taser in his hand, the fire ignites,” Sheriff Lopez continued.“Under the law, his actions were reckless and held such a disregard for human life that it rises to the level of probable cause for culpable negligence,” added Sheriff Lopez. “This is obviously a tragic situation for everybody. Both Deputy Crawford and Mr. Jean Baretto are still recovering from their injuries. Our thoughts and prayers are with them, and I wish them both a speedy recovery.“Barreto is also facing charges stemming from the incident: Fleeing in an attempt to elude law enforcement, reckless driving (misdemeanor), “three wheelies” offense (felony), and resisting an officer without violence.PEOPLE has reached out to Barreto’s attorneys for comment.

Photo: NeJame Law

PRESS RELEASE: (picture attached) OSCEOLA COUNTY DEPUTIES CAUSE YOUNG MAN TO BE SET ABLAZE, CAUSING 3RD DEGREE BURNS ON 75% OF HIS BODY Another horrific tragedy by the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office failed policies, procedures, protocols, and practices. After joining dozens of other motorbike enthusiasts, Jean Barreto, 26 years old Hispanic male, disbanded with the rest of the enthusiasts and headed home after Osceola County deputies broke up the gathering. Mr. Barreto has no prior criminal record and is a valued Fedex employee. While driving home, Mr. Barreto first went to Wawa, less than a mile from his home, to fill his dirtbike up with gas. Our investigation confirms that after filling his tank but before the gas cap was put back on, he was attacked by being body slammed with a flying tackle from behind by an Osceola County sheriff’s deputy, even though he was now in Orange County’s jurisdiction and had been for at least 5 miles. After he was pumping gas for over a minute and a half, Mr. Barreto was unknowingly bum-rushed from behind with the flying tackle by an Osceola county sheriff’s deputy, who had been secretly trailing him at the gas station. As Mr. Barreto was knocked over from behind, by this surprise take down from a then unknown force, his dirt bike also went down, spilling gas over Mr. Barreto and the Deputy. At least three other Osceola County deputy vehicles then appeared, in an apparently strategized effort, all of them being out of their jurisdiction, having left Osceola County and entered into Orange County. Seeing the deputy and Mr. Barreto on the ground as a result of the deputy’s flying tackle, one of the deputies who appeared in one of the three vehicles, proceeded to employ the use of a taser on Mr. Barreto, engulfing almost his entire body in flames and approximately half of the other deputy’s as well. This fireball, caused by the reckless, foolish, unnecessary and deadly tasing leading to the horrific explosion, engulfing the two of them and injuring 2 other deputies with minor burns. After 10 weeks in the hospital, Mr. Barreto is still undergoing potentially life saving but excruciating painful treatment. He is without skin on most of his body, his skin having been burned off. He undergoes procedures that require his dead skin to be routinely peeled off of his body. He is wrapped and unwrapped in gauze daily, bleeding profusely still as he doesn’t have the requisite amount of skin to contain his body fluids. Mr. Barreto will again be placed in a medically induced coma over the next couple of days, as he undergoes debridement (removal of necrotic tissue) ahead of first of its kind treatment at Orlando Health, which has been growing skin tissue taken from a 4 inch patch of unburned skin, to hopefully commence grafting. While being cooked alive, Mr. Barreto sustained third degree burns on approximately 75% of his body, front and back from his feet to the bottom of his neck. NeJame Law was retained within days of this horrific tragedy which occurred on February 27th. Comment has been withheld by Mark NeJame and Albert Yonfa of NeJame Law, as the State Fire Marshal report was only released Thursday of last week which confirmed that the taser was the cause of the inferno. Despite its claim of transparency, Osceola County Sheriff Lopez and his department, despite requests from NeJame Law which commenced on March 15th, has failed to turn over critical and essential evidence which includes but is not limited to body cam footage and deputies’ reports. This “transparent” department has also failed to disclose such information to the media. This is especially alarming since the Osceola County Sheriffs Office is conducting its own internal investigation rather than turning this horrific matter over to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which it should have. Moreover, in the Target shooting case, Sheriff Lopez has maintained he could not discuss that case or provide all documentation because FDLE was handling that investigation. Conversely, over two months have passed, and Sheriff Lopez and his department have failed to live up to their “promise” of full transparency by refusing to provide the media, the public, or Mr. Barreto and his counsel the body cams, the reports, and other critical evidence. Sheriff Lopez has made it abundantly clear repeatedly that his policies are “The way we do things in Osceola County” and that Osceola County Sheriff’s Office has zero tolerance for these groups of motorbike enthusiasts, even going so far as to issue and publish, apparently at taxpayers’ expense, a COPS wanna-be video highlighting him and his zero-tolerance policy. This is all the more compounded by the fact that his deputies were out of their jurisdiction of Osceola County by entering Orange County, even after an alleged pursuit had ended, which the Statewide Fire Marshall’s Report further corroborated. Several deputy units, irresponsible actions being followed by an irresponsible policy, no arrest of Mr. Barreto for any crime, a zero-tolerance policy for dirt bikes (Mr. Barreto’s dirt bike was valued at about $900), military tactics being employed for traffic violations and possible misdemeanors, no gun or weapon being in the possession of or control of Mr. Barreto, and the failure to include a call for help to Mr. Barreto has he laid on the ground with his body sizzling but only making a call for the deputies injured, are but some of the questions that NeJame Law are addressing at the Press Conference and which remain unanswered by Sheriff Lopez. Abundant questions remain, including why does the Sheriff continue to establish and institute policies and practices that endanger both the public and his deputies, and continues to expose the county and his deputies individually to massive personal financial liability? Mark NeJame and Albert Yonfa will be formally requesting that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement take over the investigation of this case and it be removed from the purview and control of the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office and additionally request the U.S. Department of Justice to intervene and commence an investigation into the protocols, practices, policies, and procedures of the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. Again, another young male of color has been subjected to gruesome and shocking treatment at the hands of the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office and an independent investigation has now become necessary to ensure that equitable justice is achieved for all involved. Extremely graphic and horrifying video and pictures will be provided at the Press Conference for those media outlets to review at their discretion. The Press Conference will be held tomorrow Wednesday, May 18th at 1:30 pm at the NeJame Law offices. Address: 189 South Orange Avenue Suite 1800 Orlando, Florida 32801 Mark NeJame can be reached at mark@nejamelaw.com Albert Yonfa can be reached at albert@nejamelaw.com or Media@nejamelaw.com Office number is 407 500 0000

A Florida deputy will be charged after he used a Taser on an alleged suspect who had gasoline spilled on him while filling up his dirt bike at a Wawa gas station in February, which resulted in the suspect being “cooked alive,“according to his lawyers.Officers say the alleged suspect, Jean Barreto, was driving recklessly with a group of other motorists. According to an initialnews releasefrom the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office on Feb. 28, multiple citizens called in to report “individuals on motorcycles who were pointing guns at people” the day earlier.After officers arrived on the scene, “a traffic stop was attempted on the suspect; however, the suspect ignored the marked patrol car with lights and sirens activated and continued to flee,” and they did not pursue the alleged suspect.Officers later obtained information that Barreto, 26, was filling up at a gas station after breaking away from the group.According to a Facebook post from Barreto’s lawyers, Mark NeJame and Albert Yonfa, multiple officers attempted to apprehend him. The motorist was taken down from behind, and gas from his bike — he had finished filling up but did not place the gas cap back on all the way — spilled on him.Osceola County Deputy David Crawford then allegedly took a Taser that was originally discarded at the scene and used it on Barreto, whose body was immediately engulfed in flames. Surveillance footage from a Thursdaypress conferenceshows deputies using a fire extinguisher to put out the flames. Deputy Crawford also sustained injuries in the incident.Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.“While being cooked alive, Mr. Barreto sustained third degree burns on approximately 75% of his body, front and back from his feet to the bottom of his neck,” Barreto’s legal team wrote on Facebook, adding that he is “without skin on most of his body” and is “bleeding profusely still.“Per a press conference from Osceola Sheriff Marcos Lopez on Thursday, Deputy Crawford will be charged with culpable negligence, a misdemeanor.“This isn’t a common crime to charge,” Sheriff Lopez said, offering a detailed explanation of the charge. “Deputy Crawford was aware there was gas in the direct and immediate area. We know this because he says on the body cam, ‘Kill the pump! Kill the pump! Gas!’ ““After that statement, he picked up the discarded Taser that was located in gas, and says, ‘You’re about to get tased, dude.’ Immediately after that statement with the Taser in his hand, the fire ignites,” Sheriff Lopez continued.“Under the law, his actions were reckless and held such a disregard for human life that it rises to the level of probable cause for culpable negligence,” added Sheriff Lopez. “This is obviously a tragic situation for everybody. Both Deputy Crawford and Mr. Jean Baretto are still recovering from their injuries. Our thoughts and prayers are with them, and I wish them both a speedy recovery.“Barreto is also facing charges stemming from the incident: Fleeing in an attempt to elude law enforcement, reckless driving (misdemeanor), “three wheelies” offense (felony), and resisting an officer without violence.PEOPLE has reached out to Barreto’s attorneys for comment.

A Florida deputy will be charged after he used a Taser on an alleged suspect who had gasoline spilled on him while filling up his dirt bike at a Wawa gas station in February, which resulted in the suspect being “cooked alive,“according to his lawyers.

Officers say the alleged suspect, Jean Barreto, was driving recklessly with a group of other motorists. According to an initialnews releasefrom the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office on Feb. 28, multiple citizens called in to report “individuals on motorcycles who were pointing guns at people” the day earlier.

After officers arrived on the scene, “a traffic stop was attempted on the suspect; however, the suspect ignored the marked patrol car with lights and sirens activated and continued to flee,” and they did not pursue the alleged suspect.

Officers later obtained information that Barreto, 26, was filling up at a gas station after breaking away from the group.

According to a Facebook post from Barreto’s lawyers, Mark NeJame and Albert Yonfa, multiple officers attempted to apprehend him. The motorist was taken down from behind, and gas from his bike — he had finished filling up but did not place the gas cap back on all the way — spilled on him.

Osceola County Deputy David Crawford then allegedly took a Taser that was originally discarded at the scene and used it on Barreto, whose body was immediately engulfed in flames. Surveillance footage from a Thursdaypress conferenceshows deputies using a fire extinguisher to put out the flames. Deputy Crawford also sustained injuries in the incident.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

“While being cooked alive, Mr. Barreto sustained third degree burns on approximately 75% of his body, front and back from his feet to the bottom of his neck,” Barreto’s legal team wrote on Facebook, adding that he is “without skin on most of his body” and is “bleeding profusely still.”

Per a press conference from Osceola Sheriff Marcos Lopez on Thursday, Deputy Crawford will be charged with culpable negligence, a misdemeanor.

“This isn’t a common crime to charge,” Sheriff Lopez said, offering a detailed explanation of the charge. “Deputy Crawford was aware there was gas in the direct and immediate area. We know this because he says on the body cam, ‘Kill the pump! Kill the pump! Gas!’ "

“After that statement, he picked up the discarded Taser that was located in gas, and says, ‘You’re about to get tased, dude.’ Immediately after that statement with the Taser in his hand, the fire ignites,” Sheriff Lopez continued.

“Under the law, his actions were reckless and held such a disregard for human life that it rises to the level of probable cause for culpable negligence,” added Sheriff Lopez. “This is obviously a tragic situation for everybody. Both Deputy Crawford and Mr. Jean Baretto are still recovering from their injuries. Our thoughts and prayers are with them, and I wish them both a speedy recovery.”

Barreto is also facing charges stemming from the incident: Fleeing in an attempt to elude law enforcement, reckless driving (misdemeanor), “three wheelies” offense (felony), and resisting an officer without violence.

PEOPLE has reached out to Barreto’s attorneys for comment.

source: people.com