St. Petersburg Officer Arrested for Sharing Confidential Data with Suspect

Officer Arrested for Data Breach

• 🚨 A St. Petersburg police officer, Brandon Clayber, has been arrested and charged with sharing confidential law enforcement information.
• 🤝 The information was allegedly provided to Brian Eckley, a suspect accused of plotting to bomb the Hard Rock Casino in Tampa.

Nature of the Alleged Breach

• 🚗 Officer Clayber is accused of providing sensitive data, including vehicle license plate tags and driver's license information, to Eckley.
• ❓ It remains unclear if Clayber was aware of Eckley's alleged criminal plans or if the provided information aided the plot.

Investigation and Evidence

• 🕵️ The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) alerted St. Pete PD late last year about Clayber providing protected information to Eckley.
• 💬 An investigation launched in December uncovered text messages between Clayber and Eckley, confirming the ongoing nature of the information sharing over 15 years of friendship.

Charges and Consequences

• ⚖️ Clayber faces two counts of offenses against intellectual property, a third-degree felony.
• 😔 The Police Chief expressed deep disappointment, emphasizing the breach of public trust and the oath officers take to protect confidential information.
• 🚫 Clayber has been placed on administrative leave without pay, and his credentials and computer access have been suspended.

Ongoing Investigation

• 🔍 St. Pete PD's Office of Professional Standards is conducting an administrative investigation.
• 💰 Authorities are also investigating whether Clayber profited from sharing the protected information and if others were recipients.
• ⏳ Clayber has been an officer with St. Pete since 2008 and previously received an award for his work on an auto-theft ring.