1966 - 1967

Democrat

In 1966 Governor Hayden Burns appointed David Deegan, a local real estate salesman, as sheriff when Sheriff Richard Stickley was indicted on criminal charges by a Grand Jury. Deegan succeeded Sheriff John P. Shannon, who served as sheriff for about a month after Stickley was removed from office.

Deegan had served as Governor Burns' Charlotte County campaign manager during the 1960 gubernatorial election, as well as having served as the Mayor of Punta Gorda.

Deegan served a little more than a year before he was removed from office by the next governor, Claude Kirk, a Republican. Governor Kirk then appointed Jack Bent, a fellow Republican, to complete Stickley's term of office.