CLEARWATER, Fla. (WFLA) — A Clearwater, Florida police detective was arrested Tuesday on numerous public corruption charges, according to law enforcement officials.
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said Detective Fredrick Lise, who is also the president of the Clearwater police union, was charged with misuse of public office, unlawful disclosure of criminal information and unlawful use of a two-way communication device.
“Fredrick Lise decided to cross the line from being a law enforcement officer to being a criminal, and in doing so, he dangerously endangered the lives of real law enforcement officers trying to rid our community of deadly drugs,” Gualtieri said.
According to the sheriff, Lise was a detective in the narcotics unit and was under investigation after the arrest of 13 suspects in a yearlong drug trafficking operation in July. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office helped bust the drug ring through undercover purchases.
Two of the arrested suspects were Matthew Turner and Henry Smith.
“The evidence shows that from August of 2023 through July of 2024 that this Pinellas County-based drug trafficking organization, of which Turner and Smith were two of the primary participants, obtained and distributed about 220 kilograms of cocaine, 660 pounds of methamphetamine, 25 kilograms of fentanyl, 5.5 kilograms of black tar heroin, and 14 kilograms of MDMA,” Gualtieri said.
The sheriff said Lise was told about the drug trafficking investigation, and in March, Lise allegedly used his access to sheriff’s office information to tip off Turner and Smith that they were under investigation.
“In a text message from Smith to Lise, Smith asked Lise to get more information and stated, I quote, ‘see if you can find out if you can. You got me worried,'” Gualtieri said. “Lise, in replying to Smith, said, and I quote, ‘I hit up one of my boys. I told you it’s either someone is talking or you slipped up with an unknown.’ The person who he’s referring to as one of his boys is a Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office detective.”
According to the sheriff, once the main suspects learned they were under investigation, Turner and Smith planned to set up another drug dealer up by purchasing a large amounts of narcotics. They would then coordinate with Lise to appear like they were informants to get time off, Gualtieri explained.
“It is reprehensible to say the least,” he said.
The sheriff also said Lise’s “betrayal of his oath” put the undercover detective who was making controlled purchases from Turner and Smith’s operation at risk.
“His friendship to these drug traffickers was more important than upholding his oath of office,” Gualtieri said.
Clearwater Police Chief Eric Gandy said he was furious with Lise’s criminal conduct.
“Despite me being really pissed off over this, I’m in a position where I’m going to have to follow state statute and have to conduct this administrative investigation carefully and methodically, particularly in cases such as this that result in termination recommendations,” Gandy said.
The chief said as for being president of the Clearwater police union, that is an issue to be resolved at the union level, but there is an interim president.
Lise was booked into the Pinellas County Jail with a bond set at $200,000.
The chief said as of now, Lise is under administrative leave and has no access to police facilities.
