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State finishes its criminal investigation of Yankeetown

By ELENA LESLEY
Published December 14, 2006

YANKEETOWN - State officials have completed an investigation into potential criminal wrongdoing by town leaders in Yankeetown, according to Sharon Gogerty, a public information officer for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

All documents will now be sent to the State Attorney's Office, which will determine whether to press charges.

Bill Cervone, state attorney for the 8th judicial circuit, which includes Levy County, said he had not received the investigation files as of Wednesday.

But he added that they were probably on their way.

"I have no clue what's in the report," he said, "and no idea what the time frame will be for our decision."

Cervone said he expected that a decision will not be made until after Jan. 1.

FDLE agents began visiting Yankeetown in May after receiving numerous calls and letters from residents.

Plans for a resort hotel on the Withlacoochee River surfaced last winter and some residents accused their town officials of conspiring secretly with the developers.

In a letter to the governor, dozens of Yankeetown residents pleaded for an investigation "into the actions of our mayor, former mayor, majority of our Town Council, former council, current & former zoning officers, & group of developers that have been continuing in what we believe to be an illegal manner, possibly a criminal conspiracy."

The FDLE opened an official criminal investigation in June.

During the next six months, agents continued probing town documents and computers, even as Gov. Jeb Bush declared the town in a state of emergency and a special election ushered in a new political regime.

Elena Lesley can be reached at elesley@sptimes.com or 564-3627.

[Last modified December 13, 2006, 20:24:35]