State: Hundreds get in line to be U.S. marshals

Hundreds get in line to be U.S. marshals

Among the applicants are former law enforcement officers from Citrus and Pasco counties.

By LUCY MORGAN

Among the applicants are former law enforcement officers from Citrus and Pasco counties.

TALLAHASSEE -- Former Citrus County Sheriff Charles Dean and a former Pasco County jail officer are among the 222 people seeking three U.S. marshal's positions in Florida.

In an unusually open move, the names of all of the applicants have been posted on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's Web site so people can review the list and submit comments.

James T. "Tim" Moore, commissioner of the FDLE, is chairman of a statewide committee that will screen the applicants and recommend candidates to President Bush.

U.S. Reps. Clay Shaw, R-Fort Lauderdale, and C.W. Bill Young, R-Largo, and Gov. Jeb Bush formed a commission to identify candidates for the jobs held by Don Moreland of Tampa, James A. Tassone of Miami and James Lockley of Tallahassee.

In addition to Moore, members of the commission are Attorney General Bob Butterworth, Broward State Attorney Michael Satz, Clay County Sheriff Scott Lancaster, attorney Jack Helinger of St. Petersburg, Maria de la Mileara of Hialeah and Billie Neese of Fort Myers.

The committee plans to interview applicants in Orlando in public sessions Jan. 7 and 8.

Lockley, appointed about eight years ago by President Bill Clinton, is the only incumbent marshal seeking reappointment. Moreland and Tassone did not reapply.

Other Florida officials seeking the appointments include Dennis Williamson, supervisor of the FDLE's Tallahassee Operations Center; Doyle Jourdan, supervisor of FDLE's Miami office; Ken Modzelewski, a former Pasco County jail supervisor who was also a business associate of former Sheriff John M. Short; and Mike Powers and Charles Hudson, investigators for the Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office.

The commission will accept public comments through Dec. 18. Responses can be mailed to Moore at P.O. Box 1489, Tallahassee, FL 32302, or submitted through the FDLE Web site.