CONTROVERSIAL U.S. PROSECUTOR LEAVES OFFICE

TAMPA - Depending on whom you talk to, Jeffrey Del Fuoco was either
Tampa's most energetic and successful public corruption fighter or an
overzealous prosecutor who bent the rules too far and too often.

On Thursday, Del Fuoco said he resigned from his job as an assistant
U.S. attorney. His boss, U.S. Attorney Paul Perez, would only say that
the resignation was voluntary and effective since Aug. 1.

The resignation comes after months of rumors and a St. Petersburg
Times report that Del Fuoco was fired in June. Del Fuoco and his
bosses denied it and the Times wrote a correction.

Del Fuoco's reputation as a tough prosecutor stems from his
convictions of six Manatee County sheriff's deputies and three Plant
City police on public corruption charges. The deputies were members of
an elite anti-drug unit called the Delta Force. The Plant City
officers also worked drug cases.

``They were stealing money from drug dealers and innocent motorists -
mostly Mexicans - and telling them they would be deported if they
didn't give them money,'' Del Fuoco said. ``It's a disgrace.''

In February 2003, Del Fuoco sued Manatee County Sheriff Charlie Wells,
and two deputies, saying the deputies had stalked him over the
corruption probe and ran his license plate through a police database
to find his home address.

In September 2004, Wells filed a motion against Del Fuoco alleging
that he had attempted to extort $500,000 from the sheriff during a
meeting that August. If he paid up, Wells alleged, Del Fuoco would
drop his lawsuit against Wells, who is no longer a defendant.

During the corruption investigations, Del Fuoco complained to
Washington that his bosses were obstructing his efforts. At least one
boss countered that Del Fuoco leaked sensitive information. Del Fuoco
was eventually transferred out of the public corruption squad.

On Thursday, he said he resigned because he could no longer do his job
effectively.

``It's time to punch out,'' he said. ``I did a good job with two hands
tied behind my back. When you play hard, people are either going to
love you or hate you. It's the only way I know how to do it.''

Del Fuoco, 52, talked about starting a nonprofit organization that
would provide legal representation for whistleblowers from both
corporate and public employees.

In 1998, Del Fuoco won convictions against four Chicago men for
robbing and killing a 78-year-old New Port Richey woman in her home.
The case was his best, Del Fuoco said, because state prosecutors
initially passed on the case for lack of evidence.

``They broke her neck and head, tied her up with duct tape and threw
her in a closet, where she drowned in her own blood,'' Del Fuoco said.
For two years it was just me and one FBI agent working on the case.''
The killers received life sentences.

Del Fuoco's yearly salary was $132,000, according to Steve Cole, a
Justice Department spokesman. Del Fuoco has been with the Department
since 1990, long enough to draw a retirement pension.

To friends, Del Fuoco's best quality - unbridled motivation to succeed
- - may also be his worst.

``Jeff is one of the most zealous people in everything he does,'' said
Craig Huffman, Del Fuoco's attorney and friend. ``He was zealous as a
defense attorney in the Army. He's been zealous as a federal
prosecutor and he's zealous in being a good father. He's always going
100 miles per hour.''

Huffman met Del Fuoco in the Army Reserve when he was assigned to Del
Fuoco's legal services unit in St. Petersburg in 2000. Del Fuoco
recently was promoted to colonel. They have served together in Germany
helping wounded soldiers returning from Iraq to make the transition to
civilian life, Huffman said.

Huffman traces his friend's frustration with his federal bosses to the
Manatee case.

``When this all came up,'' Huffman said, ``Jeff felt there was no
support from the U.S. attorney's office.''

Del Fuoco decided to sue Wells and asked Huffman to be his
attorney.

In a statement given to Wells' lawyer in the civil suit, Bobby
O'Neill, Del Fuoco's boss, said Del Fuoco's attitude dropped. ``He
used to be a funny guy who was manic at times but he had a nice side
to him,'' O'Neill testified. ``And something changed in his life. I
don't know what it is, but then he went off the deep end.''

Del Fuoco had complained that O'Neill was not supporting him in his
investigations.

O'Neill declined to comment on the resignation.

Huffman said his client was treated poorly.

``He stepped on too many toes in this town,'' Huffman said. ``I think
he would have gone further in his investigations. I think Plant City
could have gone further. At some point if you do enough to the powers
that be, they're going to stop you.''