The Orange County Sheriff's Office and a state licensing agency now face a second federal civil rights lawsuit in connection with a series of raid-style operations at minority-owned barbershops in 2010, court records show.

The new suit, filed Thursday by the owners and staff of two shops and employees of three others, names Sheriff Jerry Demings and other Sheriff's Office staff, as well as members of the state's Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

"Deputies rushed into the businesses with their guns drawn, while wearing masks and vests and yelling obscenities and threats of violence," the new complaint alleges.

"During these raids, Plaintiffs were arbitrarily detained, their persons searched, the premises were ransacked and left in total disarray and property such as doors, windows, cabinets, mirrors, and furniture was damaged or destroyed."

The suit alleges deputies used unusual force, selecting targets based "in whole, or in part, on race," and that the raids represented unreasonable search and seizure in violation the barbers' constitutional rights.

In a series of sweeps — conducted without warrants under the authority of the DBPR between August and October 2010 — 35 people were arrested on a charge of "barbering without an active license," which is almost never used for custodial arrests in the state.

Little illegal activity was discovered during the "Barbershop Detail," as it was termed by the Sheriff's Office, and only three people were charged with anything other than a licensing violation during the operations.

Records show deputies noted evidence of gambling and alcohol use at one of the shops named in the new suit, Barber Kings, a small amount of marijuana in a barber workstation at another, Chic-n-Sassy, and a handgun at a third, JazzyT Hair Design.

Employees of the shops searched in the sweeps described them as SWAT-style raids, during which some barbers were handcuffed and their workstations searched.

A DBPR review, conducted after an Orlando Sentinel report brought the barbers' complaints to light, found evidence of property damage, the use of police dogs during inspections and, in some cases, the failure of inspectors to plan or document entire operations.

The state agency fired three people, including its regional program administrator and unlicensed activity administrator. An OCSO review found no policy violations by deputies, though Demings has said physical arrests for the licensing charge went too far.

After the Sentinel's report, sheriff's officials said the stings were planned after deputies had been told by licensing inspectors that they had been ignored or even threatened during inspections in the past.

Another lawsuit, brought by barbers at Strictly Skillz barbershop in Pine Hills, remains pending. Those barbers already settled with the DBPR for an undisclosed sum, but remain in litigation with the Sheriff's Office. A hearing is set for next month.

The Sheriff's Office said Tuesday it has not yet been served the new complaint: "We will await the information and proceed appropriately with the court," sheriff spokesman Capt. Angelo Nieves said.

The suit alleges deputies performed "'pat downs' and criminal background checks, all of which were done without probable cause and without warrants." Deputies and DBPR agents "searched the contents of individual barber areas, drawers and even cabinets where no barbering services were performed," the lawsuit says.

According to the complaint filed last week, the suit seeks financial compensation as well as punitive damages.

The suit describes the barbershops in the latest lawsuit as "owned, operated and frequented by African-Americans and located in African-American communities" in Orlando.

"The selection of these businesses for 'inspection' based solely on the race and ethnicity of the owners, employees and customers, and the absence of appropriate search warrants, constitutes racial discrimination and unreasonable searches and seizures," the complaint alleges.

jeweiner@tribune.com or 407-420-5171