Ex-Flagler County supervisor of elections indicted

BUNNELL, Fla. – Kimberle Weeks, the former Flagler County Supervisor of Elections, turned herself in Wednesday morning on 12 felony counts resulting from a six-month investigation into allegations that she secretly and illegally recorded the conversations of county and state officials.

Each count is a third-degree felony. If convicted of all counts, she could face up to 60 years in prison.

Weeks posted $12,000 bond and was released.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement launched an investigation of Weeks in early October, raiding her office, seizing electronic equipment and interviewing her and members of the county commission and administration.

Weeks resigned in early January -- midway through her second term -- days after authorities raided her office.

The indictment, unsealed Tuesday afternoon, found Weeks to have allegedly illegally recorded Al Hadeed, the county attorney, Charlie Ericksen, the county commissioner, Virginia Smith, Palm Coast's city clerk, and Melissa Moore-Stens, the county judge and various state officials

Flagler County found out about the recorded conversation on Sept. 12, 2014 when Weeks played the recording of a conversation between Ericksen and Hadeed during a canvassing board meeting.

"From the beginning we didn't appreciate it at all, and we make that known," Ericksen said. 

"It is an unfortunate situation for Flagler County," County Administrator Craig Coffey said.

DOCUMENT: Indictment of Kimberle Weeks | Week's letter of resignation

The indictment was much broader than the county's original claims of illegal recordings had focused on just Hadeed and Ericksen. One of the counts in the indictments charges that Weeks also allegedly illegally intercepted communications by several officials at the state Division of Elections, including Secretary of State Ken Detzner and attorney Gary Holland.

Also named in the same count were Ronald Labasky and J. Andrew Atkinson. A separate count refers to Weeks allegedly illegally intercepting communications with Michael Coomans, an FDLE sergeant.

The counts cover alleged incidents stretching from April 4, 2014, to September 19, 2014, a period that coincided with Weeks's conflicts with Palm Coast government officials, then with county government and members of the canvassing board.

FDLE investigator Phil Lindley conducted the inquiry. According to Weeks's arrest affidavit, the FDLE obtained "certain electronic data and devices from the Flagler County Supervisor of Elections Office" in September. "Forensic analysis of the data revealed numerous recordings of communications made of numerous persons on numerous dates."