East Manatee Fire Commissioner and County Commission Candidate Tony Barrett Arrested on Domestic Battery Charge
Tony Barrett, a candidate for the Manatee County Commission District 6 at-large seat and a sitting East Manatee Fire Rescue commissioner, was arrested Thursday on a charge of domestic battery touch or strike.
According to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a call Thursday morning and determined there was probable cause to arrest Barrett. He was booked into the Manatee County Jail, where records showed his bond was set at $750. As of Thursday evening, online jail records listed him as being in custody.
No additional details about the incident that led to the arrest were immediately released by authorities.
Barrett, whose legal name is Phillip Anthony Barrett, is one of five candidates seeking the District 6 at-large seat on the Manatee County Commission. The race includes Republican candidates John Calovich, Edward Ference and Tara Poulton, along with Democratic candidate Reggie Bellamy.
A longtime East County resident, Barrett is a U.S. Army veteran and former emergency services professional who previously worked with Manatee County EMS and the Sarasota County Fire Department. He also served as a tactical medic with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team and has spent more than two decades working as a real estate broker. Barrett served as the 2024 president of the REALTOR® Association of Sarasota and Manatee and founded Heroes Welcome Home, a nonprofit organization that assists veterans with housing and support services.
In addition to his commission campaign, Barrett currently serves as an elected commissioner for East Manatee Fire Rescue. A spokesperson for the fire district said officials were aware of the arrest but had no additional information regarding the incident. The district noted that elected fire commissioners are not subject to the authority of district administrators and that oversight of an elected commissioner rests with the governor’s office.
Barrett’s current term as an East Manatee Fire Rescue commissioner is scheduled to expire in November 2026.
The charge remains an allegation, and Barrett is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
