First Arrest for Unlicensed Activity & DOL Report

Florida Man First Individual Arrested Under New Florida Law

Prohibiting Unlicensed Investigative Activity

Written by John P. Belich

A Florida man, formerly licensed as a private investigator and owner of a private investigative agency, has become the first individual arrested for violating the new Florida statute on providing private investigative services without being properly licensed. The new statute, providing for enhanced penalties, went into effect July 1, 2013.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) , Law Enforcement Division, arrested Fernando J. Rodriguez, 39, on August 28, 2013 in Sanford, FL. Rodriguez was booked into the Seminole County Jail and charged with two felony counts of violation of FS 493.612 for providing unlicensed private investigative activities and one charge of fraud, uttering a forged instrument, in violation of FS 831.02. The fraud charge is due to the fact that Rodriguez is accused of presenting an invoice for his unlicensed private investigative services, containing a false G license number.

Bond was set at $1,050 and Rodriguez was released after the bond was posted by a bondsman. His arraignment is set for October 29, 2013 at 1:30 pm. Records indicate that Rodriguez signed an affidavit of indigency and asked the court to appoint an attorney to represent him.

According to the FDACS investigative report, Rodriguez is the owner of the Global Intelligence Agency, 915 Doyle Road, Suite 303- 228, Deltona, Florida. His license application also lists an Orlando mailing address.

Rodriguez is accused of violating the Florida private investigative statutes by providing "the duties of a Private

Investigator for a client”, during the period of March 22, 2013 and April 13, 2013 in Volusia County. In addition, the FDACS investigative report indicates that the state regulatory agency had issued Cease and Desist  Orders on both 05/213/2012 and 04/15/2013 and that Rodriguez "knowingly violated” both.

Records at the FDACS reflect Rodriguez has been investigative by the Division of Licensing at least seventeen times since 2006 and that his agency license was revoked on April 18, 2012. The DOL denied his request to renew his C license on May 23, 2012. Several of the investigations resulted in fines being assessed against Rodriguez as well as regional guidance letters and two cease and desist orders. DOL records indicate many of the fines assessed against Rodriguez have not been paid.

View the 90 page report here below from the DOL and Ag Law arrest.  You will see that several past complaints were filed against Mr. Rodriguez.  However until FALI’s Increased Penalties for Unlicensed Activity law was passed little could be done to enforce the misdemeanor charges at the time.  Now Mr. Rodriguez was arrested on a third degree felony charge and could face up to a $10,000 civil fine.

DOL and Ag Law Report Fernando Rodriguez