Ex-Jail Employee Accused Of Making Threats With Gun

An aspiring corrections officer found himself in a familiar place on Sunday when he was arrested on charges of aggravated assault.

Deputies were called to the Denny's restaurant on U.S. 19 around 3 a.m. to investigate reports of a man with a gun making threats. They were met by the first victim, Brian Smith, who told deputies that the suspect tried to strike up a conversation with his friend, Courtney Thomas.

Thomas and the suspect, Nicardo Hamilton, 21, had met that evening at Jersey's Pub.

The conversation between the two became an argument and escalated to the point the suspect declared he was going to "shoot her in the face," an arrest affidavit states.

When Smith intervened, the suspect went outside to his car and pulled out a gun, a report states. Nicardo was followed by a Denny's waitress, who also tried to calm him down and convince Nicardo there was no need to shoot anybody.

Nicardo put the gun back into his car and tried to walk back into the restaurant, but he was met at the door by Smith. The two began arguing again, prompting Nicardo to walk back to his car and grab the gun again.

The waitress followed him back to the car and convinced him to put the gun back onto the back seat. She waited until Nicardo was distracted, then grabbed the gun and hid it inside the restaurant.

Arriving deputies determined that it was a black BB gun that resembled a Beretta automatic firearm, including a top slide and a magazine.

Nicardo fled as authorities were called, but responding deputies intercepted him and pulled him over at a 7-Eleven on Spring Hill Drive. He was charged with three counts of aggravated assault.

On Monday, Hernando County Jail Warden Russell Washburn said Nicardo was currently attending an academy to earn his certification as a corrections officer.

He was hired within the past year for positions not involving inmate contact, such as the control room.

Washburn said Nicardo resigned the day of his arrest.

"We have a zero tolerance for any staff member who violates the law," he said.