LECANTO, FL — Terrible images captured on surveillance video reportedly show a corrections officer violently throwing a handcuffed inmate to the ground and pressing his forearm against the inmate’s head at the Citrus County Detention Facility.
According to the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, Joshua Swanson, a corrections officer employed by CoreCivic, was arrested Tuesday, October 13, 2026, and charged with one count of battery following an investigation into the incident.
The alleged assault occurred October 6, when Swanson entered a two-person jail cell where the lights were off. Surveillance footage showed an inmate appearing to turn on the light before Swanson placed him in handcuffs approximately 15 seconds later.
Investigators reported that Swanson then attempted to remove the inmate from the cell, performing what was described as a hip toss that forcefully slammed the inmate to the floor.
As the inmate appeared to move slightly, possibly attempting to sit up or turn, Swanson allegedly pressed his forearm against the inmate’s head with significant force, causing it to strike the floor.
The inmate later reported losing consciousness after being thrown to the ground.
The incident came under investigation October 12 after a CoreCivic facility investigator conducted an internal review and contacted the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office.
Following the investigation, the findings were forwarded to the State Attorney’s Office for the Fifth Judicial Circuit. An arrest warrant was subsequently issued, and Swanson was taken into custody without incident on October 13.
The Citrus County Detention Facility is privately operated by CoreCivic. Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
SOURCE: Citrus County Sheriff’s Office
