Former Lee County Sheriff Captain Dominick Ferrante will appear before the Civil Service Board on Tuesday, May 26. The hearing will take place at the Old Court House on Monroe Street in Fort Myers at 8:30 a.m.

Ferrante filed for the a civil service hearing citing he was forced into resignation by coercion and threat of termination, violations of Florida Chapter 112.

In Ferrante’s original request he stated he wanted the hearing even though he was filing late, but also wanted the opportunity to prove or disprove his case. He refers to Ryan Bell as an example the board should give him the hearing, asking for “no more or no less” than Bell received. It was the Ryan Bell case that Sheriff Mike Scott cited as the reason why former Chief Deputy Ferrante was placed on administrative leave.

In the Board chairman’s response to Dominick it states they will grant him the hearing, but give him only 10 days to prepare and cite that he can’t have any witness testimony and/or produce evidence to prove or disprove his case.

Ferrante responded citing it was a violation of his due process not to have the ability to produce witness testimony and evidence to prove or disprove his case, as well as a violation of the boards own rules to exclude his evidence. He further stated he needed more time to prepare his evidence requesting a continuance. By producing witnesses and evidence, Dominick says he can prove that the polygraph Sheriff Scott continues to state Ferrante failed, has no validity and can’t produce proof he failed.

In addition it would prove his resignation was under threat of termination because of investigations he and others were involved in, thus causing a chain of events leading to Ferrante recently terminated, demoted, transferred, and retired deputies, Ferrante said.

The Board chairman responded to Ferrante and despite the request maintained he could not have a continuance and could not produce evidence or witnesses to prove or disprove his case. Ferrante responded, stating the Board had no good cause to deny him the right to produce evidence or grant him any continuance and how could he prove or disprove his case without those things. Ferrante has not gotten any response and will have to appear Tuesday morning under the circumstances described, officials said.