FBI arrests St. Petersburg police detective in public corruption case

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http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/article1174239.ece

FBI arrests St. Petersburg police detective in public corruption case

By Michael Van Sickler, Times Staff Writer
Posted: Jun 08, 2011 12:50 PM

ST. PETERSBURG — The FBI has arrested a St. Petersburg police officer in connection with a public corruption case.

Detective Anthony Foster, a 13-year department veteran and hostage negotiator, is in federal custody, but an FBI spokesman said the exact charges Foster will face aren't yet known.
Foster, 39, was arrested at noon Wednesday when he went to the State Attorney's Office complex on 49th Street N for a matter relating to his job as a homicide detective. He didn't know that authorities planned to take him into custody. He was arrested without incident, said FBI spokesman Dave Couvertier. His first appearance, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Anthony Porcelli in Tampa, was scheduled between 3 and 3:30 p.m. today, said U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman William Daniels. About 90 minutes after the arrest, FBI agents began combing through Foster's house at 1543 66th Ave. S in the quiet residential neighborhood of Pinellas Point.

St. Petersburg Police Chief Chuck Harmon didn't know about Foster's arrest until noon, when it happened, according to department spokesman Mike Puetz. Harmon won't comment until he learns more about the case, Puetz said. Upon hearing of the arrest, Harmon ordered an Internal Affairs investigation.

Foster, who makes $65,894, was put on immediate unpaid leave, which is department policy when an officer is arrested and charged with a felony. Puetz said he didn't know what Foster would be charged with, other than it related to a public corruption case. Puetz said he didn't know of any other targets of the investigation.

"This came as total news about an hour ago," he said.

Foster was hired by the department in 1997 and his career has been marked by highs and lows.

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Wow...read the rest....he should have been let go a long time ago, and it is clear the FEDS don't trust the leadership on the force and they told NO ONE!