'Corrupt' Government Rant Ends With Sarasota Man's Arrest

SARASOTA, FL — A 31-year-old Sarasota man stands accused of strolling onto the Riverview High School campus Monday to complain to anyone who would listen about corruption in school government. It was his alleged decision to waltz into a classroom after being denied access to the principal that landed him behind bars, authorities say.

According to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began around 1:40 p.m. May 15 when Aaron J. Talley went to the 1 Ram Way school’s office and asked to talk to the principal. Deputies say Talley was told he needed to make an appointment.

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After hearing an appointment was required for an audience with the principal, an arrest report said Talley “elected to walk quickly onto the campus towards the classrooms.”

Once inside building No. 5, Talley was reportedly confronted by school security and an assistant principal. The report said he kept on going into a classroom, found the teacher and attempted “to debate about the school government being corrupt.”

Concerned, the teacher removed students from the classroom, and the school’s resource deputy was notified. The deputy took Talley to his office where he was advised that going onto a campus without permission is a no-no, the report said.

Talley reportedly told the deputy he was aware of the rules, but didn’t care. “I need to speak my mind against this evil corruption in school government,” the arrest report quoted Talley as saying. He is then accused of stating: “Now I understand why people bring guns on campus and shoot kids.”

Talley was charged with trespassing on school grounds and disrupting a school function. He was booked into the Sarasota County Jail on the two misdemeanor charges. He was later released in lieu of $620 bond, jail records indicate.

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Booking photo courtesy of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office