Press Release 1/27/2011

Official Misconduct

Bradley J. Serata

Criminal Case # 2010-30775

Investigation Date 11/23/2010

Tuesday evening, January 25^th, 2011, Bradley Serata appeared at the Pinellas County Jail in response to a Pinellas County warrant issued by Judge R. T. Peters for ­Official Misconduct.  Serata was employed as a police officer for the City of Pinellas Park, hired on February 15, 2006.  He terminated employment (resigned) on October 14, 2010, while under investigation.

The Serata investigation began in early October of 2010.  The State Attorneys Office (SAO) was preparing a shoplifting/drug possession arrest case for trial.  Serata was the investigating and arresting officer.  He completed a police/arrest report on April 20, 2010 (2010-10035) that had several items of evidence listed including a written witness statement, a DVD surveillance video, a green pill believed to be Vicodin, and a metal pill bottle. In order for the prosecution to proceed, the green pill needed to be lab tested. 

When the prosecution requested the evidence from the Pinellas County Sheriffs office (PPPD contracts with the Sheriff to store evidence), PCSO Property stated they did not have any evidence associated with the case.

The SAO contacted PPPD on October 12^th 2010 about the problem.  Serata was questioned about the missing evidence.  He told a supervisor that he did not remember the shoplifting incident from April, but would attempt to locate the evidence.

By October 14, supervisors had checked several other of Serata's recently submitted police reports and found problems with evidence not being submitted. During the supervisory investigation it was discovered that the SAO had tried to contact Serata directly concerning missing evidence days prior to the SAO contacting PPPD on October 12th. Serata un-expectedly tendered his resignation to the Chief on October 14^th, 2010.

PPPD supervisors conducted an audit of police investigations assigned to Serata going back to July of 2009.  It was discovered that in many of these cases, evidence collected by Serata and listed in the police report were not submitted to PCSO for storage as required. Most of the evidence were DVDs of theft crimes obtained from store surveillance systems and written witness statements.  There were several cases of narcotics including marijuana, crack, and prescription pills.

In one 2009 case, missing was a .357 revolver. The gun was seized by Serata on December 27^th, 2009 during a traffic stop and arrest of the driver for carrying a concealed firearm. Sgt. E. Leshick contacted Serata on November 23^rd regarding the gun.  Serata told Sgt. Leshick that he still had the gun.  Serata brought the gun to PPPD and turned it over to Sgt. Leshick.

PPPD officials met with the SAO in early December 2010 to discuss the past actions of Serata and if criminal prosecution is warranted.  It was later determined that a criminal violation had occurred and the appropriate charge would be Official Misconduct, a felony crime.