Palm Bay Councilman Pete Filiberto arrested with 10.6 grams of Cocaine, Extensive traffic infarctions since 2006
By Kevin Vaccianna
Update: Mayor Rob Medina request the resignation of Councilman Pete Filiberto:
Disclaimer: Councilman Pete Filiberto is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
In a probable cause affidavit issued by the Palm Bay City Police Department, Palm Bay City Councilman Peter J Filiberto was arrested on Saturday, February 11, 2023. The inciting incident occurred on Sea Grape Street at 9:05 p.m. when the Palm Bay Police Department attempted to pull Filiberto over for a high rate of speed while driving a motorcycle.
Filiberto was taken into custody for reckless driving when he lost control and fell over on the motorcycle. The affidavit briefly lists what can be described as evasive movements, including accelerated speed in a 25-mile-per-hour zone, running a stop sign, and attempting a U-turn when Filiberto acknowledged the officer’s presence. When Filiberto declined to take a Standardized Field Sobriety Test, he was further charged on suspicion of Driving Under the Influence.
Furthermore, a search of Filiberto’s license shows that his license was suspended in September of 2022 due to failure to pay an outstanding judgment for $134. The search of Filiberto’s history also showed a failure to submit to a previous breath/urine/blood test in 2008 and that he did not have an endorsement on his license to permit him to operate a motorcycle. During a search of Filiberto at booking in the Palm Bay Police Department, a white powdery substance was found in Filiberto’s shoe, and additional white rocks were found in his socks. The total weight of the substances is 10.6 grams, and both tested positive for cocaine.
Total charges listed on the affidavit for Filiberto include reckless driving, driving under the influence, no motorcycle endorsement, refusal to submit (1 Prior), driving with a suspended license (with knowledge), and possession of a controlled substance (10.6 g cocaine). Filiberto was taken to Palm Bay Community Hospital for medical clearance before booking and turned over to the Brevard County Sherriff’s office for secured detention.
Who is Councilman Peter Filiberto?
The Palm Bay City website has a biography summarizing Filiberto as “born and raised in Palm Bay” and a graduate of Bayside High School. He studied political science at Florida International University and is currently a federal contractor working with cybersecurity support and infrastructure for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
Watch our 2020 interview with Councilman Pete Filiberto
Filiberto’s biography includes a multitude of services to the community, including serving as a dispatcher for the Surfside Police Department, public liaison for the tourist development department, serving on boards including Brevard County’s Planning & Zoning, Brevard County’s Local Planning Agency, and Palm Bay’s Bayfront Community Redevelopment Agency.
Filiberto’s history with Brevard County Courts goes back to sixteen instances since he turned 16 in 2006. Most are minor traffic citations, including not wearing a seatbelt, speeding, and a parking violation with the Honda Motorcycle in June 2020. However, some charges were more severe, including citations for street racing, attaching tags not assigned to vehicles, and driving with a suspended license. For the most part, the citations were reduced to lesser charges such as speeding with penalties including community service or fines, but court records also show that Filiberto has often failed to pay fines, including his 2021 judgment for $134; the failure to pay resulted in a suspended license. Brevard County court records also show that this is the third DUI arrest for Filiberto, dating back to February of 2008, shortly after he turned 20 years old. The records show he received nine months of probation, completed DUI school, served fifty hours of community service, and paid over $750 in fines for the offense. His second arrest for DUI resulted from a boating incident in May 2019, where the minutes show the case was disposed and the court waived the $500 civil penalty.
In 2020, Filiberto made his first run at Palm Bay City Council Seat 2. He was defeated by Donny Felix, who now serves as Deputy Mayor. In a May 2022 special election, Filiberto was placed in seat 5 on City Council, and in the scheduled election of November 2022, Filiberto won unchallenged as the incumbent for seat 5. Palm Bay City council is composed of a total of five city council seats.
What’s next for Palm Bay City Council?
Palm Bay Live reminds readers that all suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. As Filiberto faces many charges, he will be allowed to continue serving his four-year term in the community as a Palm Bay City Councilman.
Palm Bay City policy addresses vacancies for City Council in Section 3.06 of City Statutes. Section 3.062 specifically addresses forfeiture from office as such:
“If, during the term of office, the state commission on ethics finds that a councilmember has violated any provision of this charter or is found guilty by a judge or jury or pleads guilty or nolo contendere to any felony or a crime involving moral turpitude whether or not adjudication is withheld, such councilmember shall be deemed to have forfeited his office. Forfeiture of such office shall be affirmed and ratified by a resolution duly adopted by the other members of the city council.”
Filiberto is set to serve on the Palm Bay city council until 2026. If Filiberto is removed from office a special election to find a replacement would be necessary. The next Palm Bay City Council meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 16, 2023, at 6 p.m. The agenda packet is linked here.
Disclaimer: Councilman Pete Filiberto is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
