Kirk Chambers, Bribery, Florida 2015

A former Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) trooper has been sentenced to prison time for his involvement in a bribery scheme. Kirk Chambers, a former FHP trooper, was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment on August 20, 2015, for participating in a conspiracy to affect commerce through extortion under color of law.

Chambers had previously pleaded guilty to violating 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a). His co-conspirator, Guillermo “Tony” Sepulveda, was previously sentenced to 37 months imprisonment on August 4, 2015.

The investigation into the bribery scheme began in 2013, when the FBI and local law enforcement agencies opened an investigation into allegations that South Florida law enforcement personnel were being paid bribes by local wrecker operators to illegally solicit business from stranded drivers at accident scenes.

Chambers was employed as a sworn FHP trooper between 2006 and 2015. In 2014, an FBI confidential source approached Guillermo “Tony” Sepulveda, the owner and operator of a local Miami-based towing company. Sepulveda agreed to participate in the scheme and introduced the source to Chambers.

Between September and November 2014, Chambers used his position to download the personal information of approximately 100 accident victims from FHP servers. He provided that information to the source in return for $5,000, during a series of transactions. For his part in the conspiracy, Sepulveda was paid $1,200.

Chambers was interviewed by the FBI on January 22, 2015, and admitted participating in the bribery scheme. He also admitted being paid thousands of dollars in bribes by various tow truck operators for a number of years.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Lacosta. Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, (FBI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/former-florida-highway-patrol-trooper-sentenced-taking-bribes