A former recreation supervisor, he is accused of taking cash payments from a concessionaire and a soccer league, among others.

CLEARWATER – Officers have arrested a former city employee and charged him with stealing more than $148,000 from the Parks and Recreation Department, according to the Clearwater Police Department..

Robert Carpenter, 58, of Clearwater, was charged with one count of scheming to defraud, a first-degree felony.

He is accused of taking cash payments from a concessionaire at Eddie C. Moore Complex and from a soccer league that rented fields from the city, in addition to cash thefts from two other sources or events.

Carpenter was a recreation supervisor assigned to the athletics area of the Parks and Recreation Department when the accounting discrepancies first were noticed internally earlier this year. Police said he resigned March 28 as an internal audit and police investigation began. The thefts date back as early as 2013.

“Our detectives spent months piecing together this case,” police Chief Dan Slaughter said. “This is a supervisor who was supposed to be responsible for making sure taxpayers’ money is not stolen. Now it is going to cost him.”

Clearwater City Manager Bill Horne said, “We are disappointed that one of our own employees engaged in such behavior. We have hired a forensic auditor and will be implementing recommendations for putting into place the proper checks and balances.”

Carpenter was hired by the city in August 1997. At the time of his resignation, he earned $52,699 annually.

Clearwater Police | Crime | Arrests | Tampabay News

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