Two Alachua County Juvie Employees Sentenced to Three Years Probation for Abusing Inmates
Two employees of the Alachua County Juvenile Detention Center (JDC), Dionysio Devonte Mavin and Antwaneria Dowanisha Rolan Legette, have been sentenced to three years of probation for abusing inmates.
A third JDC employee, Delmonica Harris, was arrested with Mavin for child neglect while Legette was arrested for child abuse in a separate incident. Harris' case remains open.
Legette and Mavin both took a deal where they pleaded no contest, meaning they did not admit or deny committing the offenses. Judge James Colaw granted Legette and Mavin withheld adjudications, meaning they won't be designated as convicted felons but the offense will remain on their records.
Legette was sentenced on May 23, 2025, and Mavin was sentenced on June 12, 2025.
The Alachua County JDC is ran by the State of Florida and is unaffiliated with local government
Incident 1:
On June 16, 2024, Mavin did not properly respond when the victim was attacked by several other inmates.
The entire incident was captured on surveillance footage.
The arrest report states Mavin “entered the pod, apparently eating, and clearly and obviously able to observe the victim surrounded by the five juvenile inmates. However, [Mavin] does nothing to de-escalate the situation or interact with the juvenile inmates. Moments later, the group of juvenile inmates surrounding the victim attacks.”
While the victim was being jumped by his fellow inmates, Mavin communicated something over his radio before casually walking over to the scene while they were beating and stomping him. After 10 seconds, Mavin attempted to pull one of the inmates off the victim but failed. Mavin let go of the inmate and backed away while the attack continued for five more seconds, according to the arrest report.
The inmates partially dispersed from the area, and the victim was lying unconscious on the ground.
The victim was able to get up after about 30 seconds. Instead of calling for medical aid, Mavin walked over to the victim and stood near him.
One of the inmates walked over to the victim and punched him twice more, and Mavin reportedly did nothing to stop it despite standing right next to the victim.
Mavin and another JDC employee began trying to move the victim away while the attacking inmates walked freely around the pod.
Mavin walked several feet in front of the victim while escorting him out. The victim, who was not steady on his feet and losing consciousness, was carrying his bed mattress and blanket while Mavin had two free hands, the arrest report states.
Not only was Mavin not properly escorting the victim, but he was made to walk past the inmates who just attacked him. As the victim walked past, one of the inmates swung at him, and the punch landed on his mattress, according to the arrest report.
Mavin got in between the victim and the inmate but could’ve prevented the attack entirely if he properly escorted him.
The arrest report states that by the time the victim was transported out of the pod, five minutes after the attack, he was still not given medical care.
The JDC was not properly staffed on the day of the incident, according to the arrest report. With a minimum requirement of eight employees, only four were in place on June 16, 2024.
Once in isolation, the highest-ranking member of the Alachua County JDC, Major Delmoncia Harris, made contact with the victim.
According to the arrest report, Harris issued a written statement on the attack, stating she “personally witnessed the entire fight from the control center of the facility” and “will follow-up with medical in the morning.”
JDC policy requires that emergency medical services be called when an inmate loses consciousness. Harris did not follow her own policy, allowing the victim to go two days before getting medical treatment.
Harris did not notify the victim’s family of the incident. The victim’s mother didn’t find out until she picked up her son on July 1, 2024.
The victim and his mother spoke with medical professionals from Child Protective Services, and they said the victim had a concussion and may suffer long-term effects due to not immediately receiving medical treatment.
Incident 2:
On June 23, 2024, Legette did not properly respond to a provocation from an inmate.
According to the arrest report, the victim splashed a bottle of water at Legette.
Legette then rushed towards the victim and punched her two times in the face.
Legette and the victim had to be broken up by another individual. (The arrest report redacts whether the person who broke up the fight was a guard or inmate).
After being separated, the victim threw something at Legette, and she threw her radio at the victim but missed.
The incident was captured on video.
Legette wouldn’t be arrested until September 2024, while Mavin and Harris weren’t arrested until December 2024, according to court records.
Mavin has a restitution hearing scheduled for July 7, where the court will determine what he owes the victim in damages.
Harris has a case management hearing scheduled for July 15.
According to the JDC website, supervision is provided by guards in a “safe, secure and humane environment.”
Editor’s Notes: The employment status of the defendants in this article has not been confirmed. The JDC has not been able to provide information on their employment status when calling and emailing.
The information would likely be available in their personnel files, but the cost is $171. Click here to support GnvInfo.
