James W. Pimentel has served as the General Counsel and Constitutional Policing Advisor for the Leon County Sheriff ’s Office since January 2017.
Mr. Pimentel earned a Bachelor of Science in Political Science, with Highest Honors, from Northeastern University, where he attended on a full four-year Navy ROTC Scholarship. Upon graduation in 1988, he was commissioned as a Naval Officer and served on active duty until 1994, completing three extended sea service deployments.
As a Naval Officer, Mr. Pimentel was first assigned to USS El Paso (LKA-117) as Third Division Officer and Boat Group Commander, and later as Combat Information Center Officer and Electronic Warfare Officer. As a division officer, he supervised over 20 enlisted personnel. As collateral duties, Mr. Pimentel was the COMSEC Materials Custodian, Secret and Top Secret Control Officer, NWP Custodian, and Intelligence Officer. Mr. Pimentel was promoted to Lieutenant and qualified and received his designation as a Naval Surface Warfare Officer. Mr. Pimentel’s further qualifications included Officer of the Deck Inport, Conning Officer, Officer of the Deck Underway, Combat Information Center (CIC) Watch Officer, Engineering Officer of the Watch, and Command Duty Officer. He served aboard El Paso during the first Gulf War (1990–1991).
Mr. Pimentel’s next assignment as a Naval Officer was as Assistant Operations Department Head aboard USS Dale (CG-19), a guided missile cruiser. He supervised both enlisted personnel and commissioned officers. During his tour, USS Dale was assigned to Standing Naval Forces Atlantic, and was assigned to duties during the war in former Yugoslavia. Mr. Pimentel directed ship and task force operations regarding on enforcing no-fly sanctions in the Adriatic Sea.
Mr. Pimentel left active duty in 1994 to attend law school at the University of Florida. Mr. Pimentel remained in the Naval Reserve, and following the events of 9/11, he was recalled to active duty, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He was selected for promotion to Commander. During his active and reserve service, Mr. Pimentel earned the following personal and service awards: Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal (4 awards), National Defense Service Medal (two awards), Southwest Asia Service Medal, Global War on Terror Expeditionary and Service Medals, Armed Forces Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment ribbon (3 awards), NATO service medal with “Former Yugoslavia” device, Naval Reserve Medal with Mobilization “M” device, Expert Rifle Medal, and Expert Pistol Medal.
In 1997, Mr. Pimentel graduated with honors from the University of Florida College of Law. Upon graduation, he worked as an Assistant State Attorney in Florida’s Fourth Judicial Circuit from 1997 to 2004, prosecuting offenses from misdemeanors to capital felonies,
with assignments to county court, general felony division, Repeat Offender Court, Felony Filing Division, and the Special Victims Unit. Mr. Pimentel was the lead prosecutor in numerous trials, and none of his trial convictions were ever reversed on appeal.
From 2005 to 2017, Mr. Pimentel served as General Counsel for the Clay County Sheriff ’s Office before being appointed to his current position by Sheriff Walt McNeil. Mr. Pimentel is also an active volunteer with the Florida Bar. He serves as Chair of the Florida Bar Grievance Committee 2B, investigating complaints filed against attorneys, and has previously completed two terms on the committee.
Mr. Pimentel has been married to his college sweetheart since 1988 and is the proud father of two children. His daughter is a graduate of the University of West Florida, and is a paralegal at a law firm in Tallahassee. His son, an Eagle Scout, earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and his Master’s Degree in Social Work at the University of West Florida, and is pursuing certification as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.