Two state health inspectors were arrested Tuesday in a bribery sting involving restaurant inspections they performed in the Jacksonville area.
The sting, dubbed Operation Take Out/Pay Out, began after Jacksonville police received a tip in October 2011 that one of the men was soliciting bribes for overlooking health violations in area restaurants. The investigation, joined by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and other agencies, led to a second suspect being identified, Sheriff John Rutherford said.
Moses Davis Jr., 54, of the 200 block of North Aquarius Circle, and Steven Rivera, 44, of the 6300 block of Collins Road, are charged with accepting unlawful compensation for official behavior. They were both jailed on $100,000 bail for the second-degree felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
The men also have been fired as sanitation and safety specialists with the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, an agency spokeswoman said. They were responsible for noting everything from rodent problems to improperly kept food.
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