County commission candidate arrested for a second time

Tony Barrett, a candidate for the at-large District 6 commission race and a currently seated fire commissioner for East Manatee Fire Rescue, was arrested for the second time within two weeks.

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Barrett was initially arrested June 18 for battery touch and strike. The probable cause affidavit states he and his ex-girlfriend “engaged in a verbal altercation in her bedroom that turned physical.”

Deputies observed “an injury to the right side of (Barrett’s ex-girlfriend’s) head that appeared to be red and starting to swell” and “a cut on the inside of (Barrett’s) lip and a minor injury to his hand.”

Barrett was arrested again June 30 on a charge of violating his pretrial release conditions that stated he was not to have any contact with the victim or return to the home where they had both been living. 

Prosecutors allege that Barrett attempted to call the victim June 18 after being released from jail and that he returned to the home June 30.

On July 1 at Barrett’s first appearance before Judge Gilbert A. Smith Jr., attorney Richard Reinhart argued that Barrett could have accidentally dialed the victim’s number and that the victim moved out of the shared home. 

“Mr. Barrett went back to the house, and then this woman came to the house,” Reinhart said. “He didn’t contact her. She showed up at the house that she does not own, has no possessory interest in and was not occupying any further.” 

Barrett owns the home in question. He has a hearing set July 2 before Judge Jacqueline B. Steele to request he be allowed to return to the home. 

Smith set a bond of $10,000 and kept the same no contact requirements in place for one charge and revoked bond on the other, so Barrett will remain in custody at least until he appears before Steele. 

Prior to his second arrest, Barrett told the East County Observer that he planned to continue his campaign run for the District 6 seat on the Manatee County commission.