WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - An officer with the Winter Haven Police Department was arrested for fraudulently reporting hours he claimed to have worked, according to department officials.
WHPD said 28-year-old Antonio Arias was arrested on grand theft and property obtained by communications fraud (valued at more than $10,000) charges. The officer has been on paid administrative leave since March 22 once the department started its criminal investigation after receiving information about special detail pay Arias received while off-duty.
Winter Haven police said supervisors found that Arias didn't appear to be at his assigned detail as he reported on March 17. A support captain with WHPD requested an investigation to determine if he was fraudulently reporting time worked for off-duty details.
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After Arias was placed on administrative leave, investigators said they found that the officer had fraudulently reported 387.5 hours total where he claimed to have worked an entire detail. Officers said he had actually only worked a portion or none of those hours.
Arias would leave his assigned detail to go to other parts of the City of Winter Haven or outside the city when he claimed to be working, the department said.
The officer was hired back in August 2020, according to Winter Haven police. He had one written reprimand issued on January 21 for trying to take a call for service over the phone. WHPD said the particular call needed an in-person response and another officer had to handle the call.
Arias was taken into custody Wednesday once they concluded the investigation, WHPD said. He has been placed on unpaid administrative leave pending a disciplinary process.