David Chiverton, the former Opa Locka City Manager, was sentenced to 38 months in federal prison for his role in a municipal corruption conspiracy that turned city hall into a backroom marketplace for bribes. The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga, marks another fall from grace in a city long plagued by political rot and federal scrutiny.
Chiverton pled guilty to conspiracy to commit Federal Programs bribery and extortion under color of official right, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. As Assistant City Manager and later City Manager, he used his authority to demand and accept thousands of dollars in illegal cash payments from businesses seeking favorable treatment from the city government. In return, he promised — and delivered — official actions that benefited those paying off the scheme.
According to court records and statements made during sentencing, the corruption ran from March 2014 to March 2016. Chiverton conspired with an unnamed elected official known as ‘Public Official A,’ former Assistant Public Works Director Gregory Harris, and others to systematically exploit their public roles. The scheme targeted contractors, developers, and individuals needing permits or approvals, turning basic municipal services into pay-to-play transactions.
The FBI Miami Field Office, through its Area Corruption Task Force, dismantled the operation after a sweeping investigation. Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, declared the sentence a victory for accountability, stating that public officials who betray their oaths for personal gain will face federal consequences. ‘This was not politics as usual — it was racketeering dressed in a city badge,’ Ferrer said in a statement.
In addition to 38 months behind bars, Chiverton will serve three years of supervised release, including eight months of home detention. He was also ordered to forfeit $7,600, the sum of illicit payments traced directly to him. Investigators emphasized that no bribe was too small to escape scrutiny — envelopes of cash, late-night drop-offs, and coded conversations were all part of the underground economy Chiverton helped run.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Edward Stamm and Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Selmore. Court documents are available via the Southern District of Florida’s public docket at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov. As Opa Locka continues rebuilding its institutions, Chiverton’s fall stands as a stark warning: in the eyes of federal law, corruption has a price, and it’s being collected one sentence at a time.
Related Federal Cases
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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