A man caught on video physically abusing an 88-year-old the abuser was hired to help was sentenced to two years of house arrest and four years of probation on Wednesday, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Home surveillance footage shows 20-year-old Jonah Delgado punching, slapping, and shoving the elderly man.
“The actions of this man are deplorable, unacceptable and disturbing,” Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said after Delgado’s arrest in August 2020.
“Delgado was trusted to take care of this man and to protect him. He not only broke this trust but put this man in direct danger with his actions. I am very proud of our detectives who worked quickly to get [Delgado] in custody before he could hurt anyone else.”
The caretaker pleaded guilty at the virtual hearing Wednesday to three third-degree felonies, two counts of elder abuse, and battery of a victim over the age of 65.
“If I can just say one thing, I just wanted to apologize. I understand that the victim’s son is here and I just wanted to apologize to him,” Delgado said during the hearing.
Delgado received a sentence of two years on house arrest and four years of probation on the condition he would have “no caretaker employment at all,” Hillsborough Circuit judge Laura Ward explained.
The perpetrator nodded his head in agreement as he heard the sentence.
Delgado will participate in mandatory anger management courses and 200 hours of community service, and he will write the victim an apology letter as part of the plea deal.
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