ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — St. Pete Police Chief Holloway said an SPPD officer was arrested after he allegedly shared confidential information from law enforcement databases with a suspect.
According to police, in 2024, the FDLE contacted SPPD to inform them of a potential crime where Officer Brandon Klaiber was sharing protected information from law enforcement databases with one of their suspects.
Police arrested the suspect, Bryan Eckley, in October 2024 for allegedly planting explosive devices at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa. Employees at the casino located the devices, the casino was evacuated as a bomb squad arrived and rendered them safe.
SPPD said investigators found texts between Eckley and Klaiber where Eckley requested information. Klaiber allegedly gave him the information he had obtained from restricted databases.
"He would use the confidential database system here at the police department, it’s only for law enforcement use, he would use that database system and share it with the suspect that’s why he was arrested on a third degree felony," said Chief Holloway.
St. Pete Police said an investigation was launched, and Klaiber was placed on administrative leave in December 2024. All credentials and computer access were suspended during the investigation.
According to Chief Holloway, the investigation revealed that Klaiber had looked up information on driver's licenses, tags, and other information.
"We’re going to have to look at every person that he ran in the computer system and try to tie those to either a traffic stop that he made or a case that he was working. If it does not link to that were going to see the who did he share that information with," said Chief Holloway.
The Police Department's Office of Professional Standards will also conduct an administrative investigation into the allegations.
Police charged Klaiber with two counts of offenses against intellectual property.
Officer Klaiber was sworn as a St. Petersburg Officer in November 2008.
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