- November 17, 2024
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Former Flagler County Supervisor of Elections Kimberle Weeks was arrested the morning of May 6 on 12 felony counts, including seven counts of intercepting oral communication and five counts of disclosing oral communication.
The State Attorney's Office filed an indictment against Weeks May 5 after an eight-month investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Weeks, who resigned from her post suddenly Jan. 6., had surreptitiously recorded a conversation between County Commissioner Charlie Ericksen and County Attorney Al Hadeed during the 2014 election cycle, then aired part of the recording on WNZF radio, alleging that it showed improper or illegal behavior on Ericksen and Hadeed’s part.
The Florida Elections Commission, rejecting complaints by Weeks, found no fault with Ericksen, and county officials said the tape had been doctored, with important context ommitted.
But the State Attorney's Office said the recording itself, captured on Weeks' smartphone with neither man’s knowledge or consent, was illegal under a Florida law which bars surreptitious audio recording and the dissemination of an illegal recording.
It drew the attention of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which opened an investigation led by Inspector Phil Lindley.
Investigators who searched Weeks' office Oct. 3 found "obtained certain electronic data and devices," according to a charging affidavit.
"Forensic analysis of the data revealed numerous recordings of communications made of numerous persons on numerous dates" between April 2014 and September 2014, according ot the affidavit.
Ericksen and Hadeed were just two of many officials Weeks recorded illegally, according to the indictment.
Others included Palm Coast City Clerk Virginia Smith and County Judge Melissa Moore-Stens, as well as Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner and Florida Elections Division attorney Gary Holland.
There was also a charge for illegally intercepting the conversation of an FDLE officer, Michael Coomans. Each of the twelve counts is a third-degree felony.
Weeks surrendered herself at the Flagler County jail at about 8:05 a.m. May 6, a Sheriff's Office spokesman said. She was released at about 10 a.m. on $12,000 bond.
To view the indictment, click HERE.
This story has been corrected to reflect that it was the Florida Elections Commission, not the Florida Commission on Ethics, that cleared County Commissioner Charlie Ericksen.
