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Ex-official accused in domestic case

Former Hillsborough County Property Appraiser Ron Alderman, 53, was released from jail Monday.

By KEVIN GRAHAM and JEFF TESTERMAN
Published January 25, 2005

PLANT CITY - Former Hillsborough Property Appraiser Ron Alderman was arrested on a domestic violence charge over the weekend.

Deputies arrested Alderman, 53, at his Plant City home Sunday evening and charged him with domestic battery. He was released from jail Monday afternoon on his own recognizance, according to jail records.

His wife Bonnie Alderman, 53, called deputies to their home at 4314 James Redman Parkway about 7:10 p.m. Saturday, according to a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office report. The report had few details of what allegedly occurred between the Aldermans, except that it lasted about five minutes and that he was accused of using his hands.

Alderman was not arrested until the next day, records state.

First elected Hillsborough property appraiser in 1988, Alderman survived two stormy terms in office. After being elected without opposition in 1992, he was upset by political newcomer Rob Turner in 1996. By then, Alderman had jokingly begun to refer to himself as "the most investigated man in Florida."

In his first term, Alderman ran afoul of election laws, was accused of keeping his cronies on the payroll and was caught on WFLA-Ch. 8 videotape bar-hopping during business hours.

In his second term, he rented campaign office space from purported organized crime figure Joe Digerlando, was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the state Department of Revenue, and was faulted for using inequitable assessment methods that benefited his associates.

Alderman was cleared of criminal allegations, but his office continued to generate controversy. His top lieutenant, Deputy Appraiser Donald Beach, quit when confronted with a history of ethics violations and allegations of sexual harassment. His community affairs director, Maida Cronin, was suspended when she was found to have faked her high school diploma and college attendance on her job application.

Since 1997, Alderman has worked as a state certified general real estate appraiser for the firm McGrath, Alderman & Associates.

[Last modified January 25, 2005, 01:17:11]