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9 Investigates: Warrant to keep felon who shot deputy in jail sat in office for week

A warrant meant to keep a convicted felon who shot a deputy locked up sat in an office for a week before being filed, 9 Investigates found out.

Legally, the jail could only hold Christopher Redding Jr. for five days on a violent offender detainer, which is usually enough time for a warrant to be processed.

Court administrators said it was the probation officer who should have taken the warrant the same day it was signed to the clerk’s office to be processed.

That would have kept Redding behind bars and prevented a shootout between Orange County deputies and 20-year-old Redding.

Sgt. Richard Stelter was hit and has since been released from the hospital. Redding was killed as deputies returned fire.

Redding violated his state supervised probation when he was arrested for his alleged involvement in robberies at stores, deputies said.

Robbery is a bondable offense, but violation of probation is not.

“There was a total breakdown in the system,” said WFTV legal analyst Belvin Perry, a former chief judge.

Redding was booked into jail on Saturday, Jan. 28. His Department of Corrections officer was notified the following Monday.

Photos: Orange County sergeant wounded in shooting

The officer completed a violation of probation packet, which was signed by Judge Alan Apte on Thursday, Feb. 2.

But according to the Department of Corrections, the warrant wasn’t made available to the probation office until Feb. 9, four days after Redding got out of jail.

“When you see a probation warrant, it should be taken care of right away and it should not sit on someone’s desk,” said Perry.

Jail officials said a hold was placed on Redding because he was considered a violent offender of special concern.

But legally, they could only keep him in jail for five days, Perry said is usually plenty of time to process a warrant.

“If this had been timely executed, he would not have been out to engage in a gun battle with law enforcement,” said Perry.