Details were sketchy at presstime, but several sources have told Key West The Newspaper that Gilbert Suarez, 38, the Superintendent of Streets in the City's Public Works Department, has been questioned by authorities— possibly by the FBI— for allegedly selling community service hours. "People on probation, whose sentences included working so many hours to help non-profit agencies, could reportedly pay Suarez to certify that they worked community service hours for the City they didn't work," one source said. Callers to Suarez' office on Tuesday were told that he had the day off. But he reportedly returned to work Wednesday, telling co-workers that he had "screwed up"— but that charges had been "dropped". Suarez refused comment on Thursday morning.
NOTE: In an effort to flesh out available information and ensure accuracy, KWTN faxed Suarez an advance copy of this article.