By C1 Staff
OCALA, Fla. – A convicted child molester who was allegedly attacked by other inmates during a transport blamed the corrections officer driving the van for setting him up for a beating.
The Ocala Star Banner reports that Edward Gary Rogalski is facing new charges of battery, obstruction and escape after the officer had a different story.
CO Paul Peck and another officer stopped the van at a Burger King; while the other officer was inside the restaurant, Peck heard the inmates fighting and opened the back door to break it up.
Rogalski then kicked him in the chest, grabbed his baton and ripped part of his vest off in an escape attempt. The other officer then came out of the restaurant and helped detain Rogalski.
Rogalski claims that when the van stopped, Peck told the 11 other inmates inside the vehicle to “have fun” with the child molester.
Responding police did not address Rogalski’s claim that he was set up. The other inmates in the incident declined to speak with police.
The transport van was taking inmates back from Marion County for a hearing.
Rogalski was sentenced in Marion County to four years and three months in prison, followed by 10 years of probation, for molesting two 12-year-old girls.