A former corrections officer at the Citrus County Detention Facility has pleaded guilty to accepting bribes, the Department of Justice announced. Justin Harvey, 50, from Inverness, pleaded guilty to acceptance of a bribe by a public official on January 12, 2023. He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
According to a plea agreement, Harvey, who worked at the Citrus County Detention Facility, accepted a bribe in exchange for his official acts. The specific details of the bribe and the circumstances surrounding it were not disclosed. The investigation was conducted by the Office of the Inspector General for the Florida Department of Corrections and the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office. Harvey is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17, 2023.
The Citrus County Detention Facility is located at 1000 W. State Road 44, Inverness, Florida. The facility is operated by the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office and houses inmates for the county.
Harvey’s guilty plea is a result of an ongoing effort to root out corruption within the corrections system. The Department of Justice and other law enforcement agencies have been working together to investigate and prosecute cases of corruption and misconduct by public officials.
Originally reported by WFLA – Citrus County
Sources: WFLA – Citrus County
