OPA-LOCKA, Fla. – An employee of the city of Opa-locka is facing a felony charge.
That employee is King Leonard.
He is the city’s building operations manager.
According to an arrest report obtained Wednesday by Local 10 News, Leonard, 52, and another city official who was not named in the report met with a business owner in December at the Sherbondy Village Community Center about a proposal to paint the center.
He didn’t realize that business owner was a witness cooperating with authorities.
“During the estimate evaluation at the SVCC, the cooperating source estimated that the SVCC proposal would total $19,000,” the report stated. “However, the defendant stated he needed to lower the price down to $16,000, in order for him to guarantee the project. According to the cooperating source, the defendant expressed that he had already received another proposal and that the proposal totaling $19,000 was too high, so the defendant instructed him to provide him with a proposal totaling $16,000.”
According to the report, the witness gave Leonard a written proposal for $16,000 under the business name Bees Perfect Roofing, LLC, and Leonard told him that if the business owner “took care of him,” he would make sure that his company’s proposal would be the winning bid.
“The defendant requested monetary compensation, specifically asking for a thousand a piece. The defendant advised the cooperating source that once the purchase order was approved, the cooperating source could provide the $2,000 dollars in cash,” the arrest report stated.
Police said Leonard called the witness on Jan. 12 to inform him that his company was selected to paint the community center and agreed to meet at the SVCC on Jan. 16 to receive the money they agreed upon.
According to the report, the $2,000 provided to Leonard came from the police department’s Public Corruption Section.
“The defendant kept $1,000 and returned $1,000 dollars and stated, ‘I don’t get anyone else involved in this, just me,’” the report stated.
Police said the exchange was captured on audio and video.
Leonard was arrested Wednesday and taken to jail without incident.
The city released a statement, saying that it “is cooperating fully with authorities as the investigation continues. We urge the community to remain patient as the legal process unfolds. The integrity of our city government is of utmost importance and we are committed to upholding high ethical standards. Residents are encouraged to report any suspicious activities related to city operations to the appropriate authorities.”