St. Petersburg Police Officer Brandon Klaiber was arrested today by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office following the issuance of an arrest warrant by his own department. The charges stem from allegations that Klaiber shared confidential information from law enforcement databases with a criminal suspect.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement notified the St. Petersburg Police Department in late 2024 of possible violations involving Klaiber. Investigators linked him to Bryan Eckley, who was arrested in October 2024 for placing explosive devices at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa.
Investigators discovered text messages in which Klaiber provided Eckley with information obtained from restricted law enforcement systems. The department placed Klaiber on administrative leave on December 2, 2024, and suspended his credentials and computer access while the investigation proceeded.
Detectives secured an arrest warrant in coordination with the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney’s Office. Klaiber was taken into custody on April 15, 2025, at his home in Oldsmar at approximately 9 a.m. He is charged with two counts of “Offenses Against Intellectual Property,” a third-degree felony.
Klaiber joined the St. Petersburg Police Department in November 2008. State law prohibits the use or sharing of law enforcement database information except when performed in an official capacity. Violations are considered criminal offenses.
Klaiber remains on administrative leave without pay. The department’s Office of Professional Standards will conduct a separate administrative investigation, and the criminal investigation is ongoing.
According to the Police Chief, Eckley and Officer Klaiber have been friends for 15 years or longer. It is not believed that any information was related to the case at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa.
Additional information may be available later this afternoon.