CLEWISTON OFFICER ACCUSED OF SELLING DRUGS

A Clewiston police sergeant was arrested Thursday after an undercover
investigation revealed he was selling drugs while on duty and in
uniform, authorities said.

Sgt. Brian K. Kniceley, 42, was arrested Thursday at the Clewiston
Police Department and charged with two counts of official misconduct,
one count of unlawful compensation or reward for official behavior and
two counts sale of marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school, said Larry
Long, spokesman for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

The investigation started in December 2005 after agents learned that
Kniceley was allegedly using police databases to gather criminal and
personal information on people and selling it.

An undercover agent contacted Kniceley in March and bought the
information from him while he was on duty and in uniform for $100.

Kniceley told the agent he could get him some marijuana and invited
him to his house at 900 S. Deane Duff Ave. In April, Kniceley
contacted the agent twice and told him to come to his house. In both
dealings, Kniceley received money in exchange for the drugs. During
one of those times, Kniceley was in uniform, Long said.

The Hendry County Sheriff's Office, Florida Department of Law
Enforcement and the Clewiston Police Department investigated.
Clewiston police arrested Kniceley and booked him into the Hendry
County Jail.

As of late Thursday, Kniceley was in the jail in lieu of $60,000
bail.

Kniceley has been with the Clewiston Police Department for 10 years
and was a sergeant for about two, Assistant Police Chief Kristine
Petersen said.

Petersen said Kniceley was fired Thursday after he was
arrested.

"We are distressed and are very embarrassed for the city and this
department," she said.

Kniceley was charged with selling the drugs within 1,000 feet of a
school because, according to public records, his house is within half
a mile of three Hendry County schools -- Central Elementary School,
Westside Elementary School and Eastside Elementary School.