JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The FBI is taking the helm on the ongoing investigation into the death of a former Duval County inmate who died following an incident inside the jail.
The State Attorney’s Office confirmed the shift in investigation leadership on Wednesday in a statement:
“Our office initiated an investigation into the death of Charles Faggart on April 7, 2025. In the days following Faggart’s death, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office asked the FBI to assist in the investigation of the incident,” wrote the SAO. ”Since that time, our review has run parallel to the one conducted by our federal partner. After consultation with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, our federal partners will now take lead on this ongoing investigation.”
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Charles Faggart died in the hospital on April 10, days after being injured in the Duval County Jail. JSO reassigned and stripped nine employees of their corrections authority as it initiated an investigation into what led up to Faggart’s injuries.
Faggart was known in the community as the owner of the food truck “Chop it Charlie’s.” Faggart’s family, including his mother and young son, have appeared at several community protests demanding answers about his death.
Medical records and a redacted incident report from JSO give some indication of what happened within the jail. Records show that Faggart sustained facial fractures, rib fractures, bruising, and acute kidney and liver injuries. Taser barbs were also listed as being removed from his back.
Following the announcement about the FBI’s takeover, JSO promised to provide updates following the investigation’s conclusion.
“Because the circumstances surrounding Charles Faggart’s death remain under investigation our agency cannot provide any additional information at this time,” wrote JSO. “However, when both the state and federal investigations have concluded, JSO will provide the public with a complete briefing on the known facts and circumstances surrounding Mr. Faggart’s death. Our agency looks forward the conclusion of these investigations, so we can transparently share all available information with the public.”
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FBI Jacksonville declined to release any new details.
“The FBI does not release investigative details to preserve the integrity of the investigation. Therefore, we cannot share any additional information at the time.”
Attorney Chris Carson, who is not related to this case, said if any federal agency takes over a case of this nature it could not only be due to their resources, but also to look at everything objectively.
“In a circumstance like this, sometimes the feds will also get involved if there are concerns regarding the kind of the interplay between the State Attorney’s Office and the sheriff’s office who sometimes work very closely together,” said Carson. “If there are kind of overt concerns of ‘hey, maybe they aren’t looking at this fairly because of their relationship with the agency,’ the feds are a step removed.”
Carson also said it’s hard to predict a timeline of when we could see the FBI make charging decisions.
“There may be some very specific medical questions that have to be answered,” said Carson. “There may be some evidence that is very hard to obtain and it just takes time.”
His official cause of death has not been released. It is unclear if any criminal charges will be filed related to his death.
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