BREAKING: Former Key West city manager alleges intimidation, nepotism and blocked oversight in recently released FBI interview
FBI records say a critical building report was blocked from public discussion as city leaders alleged intimidation and retaliation.
A newly disclosed FBI interview summary alleges a pattern of intimidation, nepotism and interference with oversight inside Key West’s city government — including claims that the city attorney blocked public discussion of a consultant’s report critical of the building department that, to date, has never been publicly discussed at a City Commission meeting.
The interviews were conducted as part of a much larger FBI-Monroe County State Attorneys Office investigation into corruption at Key West City Hall. The investigation led to a scathing Grand Jury report into misconduct within 1300 White Street and resulted in multiple felony indictments for former City Attorney Rod Ramsingh, his brother, former Chief Building Officer Raj, and longtime Code Enforcement Director Jim Young.
According to the interview summary, Childress and Johnston described what they characterized as a “culture of intimidation and control” involving certain city commissioners and City Attorney Ron Ramsingh, particularly surrounding efforts to prevent discussion of an independent review of the Building and Planning Department known as the Corradino Report.
The FD-302 states that the Corradino Report — commissioned in December 2023 — made roughly 33 recommendations and identified at least four properties where building and zoning requirements were waived, allegedly saving property owners thousands of dollars. The report included findings involving Rajindhar Ramsingh, the city’s chief building official and the city attorney’s brother.
Despite being placed on a June 2024 City Commission agenda as a discussion item, the Corradino Report was never taken up by the commission and, according to the FBI summary, has never been publicly discussed at any City Commission meeting. The document states that Ron Ramsingh issued a legal opinion advising against release of the report, citing labor liability concerns because it was still in draft form.
Childress told agents he believed pressure from the city attorney led to repeated calls from the city clerk urging him not to place the item on the agenda. Once the agenda was published, the city attorney circulated a written legal opinion advising commissioners not to hear the item, the FD-302 states.
Mayor Johnston also told agents the city attorney blocked a separate agenda item involving a proposed resolution to ratify a $90,000 employment contract for Randy Sterling Sr.
Sterling serves as Recreational Facilities Manager within the city’s Community Services Department. The interview summary says questions were raised about whether an earlier 2008 contract had ever been approved by the City Commission.
The FD-302 incorrectly stated that Commissioner Lissette Carey is the assistant to Randy Sterling Sr., when she in fact works for Key West Housing Authority Director Randy Sterling, Jr.
The interview record further states that after the Corradino Report became public, local media contacted Childress regarding the building official’s state license, which had been in delinquent status since November 2023. The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation recommended halting permit issuance and inspections until the matter was resolved, according to the document.
The FD-302 says the license was later reinstated after Rajindhar Ramsingh completed an online course and submitted documentation to the state, after which inspections resumed. Childress told agents he planned to issue a formal record of counseling to the building official — a move that, according to the interview summary, was followed by a phone call from Ron Ramsingh informing Childress that four commissioners had the votes to terminate him.
An agent’s note in the document states that Childress was terminated at the end of a June 26, 2024, special meeting by a 4–3 vote, with Carey, Clayton Lopez, Billy Wardlaw and Jimmy Weekley voting to end his contract.
Mayor Johnston, and commissioners Sam Kaufman and Mary Lou Hoover voted against termination.
The vote succeeded despite nearly an hour of public comment supporting Childress and suggesting that the then City Attorney should be fired instead.
Just months before, Childress had received positive reviews from every commissioner with the exception of Lissette Carey. Yet despite the reviews and public outpouring, Childress was fired.
Ramsingh was later terminated without cause as a result of indictments stemming from the FBI/MCSAO’s joint investigation.
Because the termination was without cause, Ramsingh was entitled to the remainder of his compensation and also requested an additional payment (the entire package totaled nearly $250,000 in public money) to ensure that he didn’t sue the city for wrongful termination.
Ramsingh filed sued, anyway — but it was dismissed on Friday, Dec. 19 by Judge Timothy Koenig.
The FD-302 also states that Johnston told agents multiple assistant city attorneys left the city after Ron Ramsingh became city attorney, citing disagreements over how the legal department was being run. Johnston further alleged that Ramsingh and Commissioner Weekley pushed through a $10 million housing authority project without appropriate oversight and raised concerns about possible Sunshine Law violations.
The FBI document includes repeated disclaimers that it contains neither findings nor conclusions and reflects only information provided by interviewees. The FBI and the City of Key West have not publicly commented on the substance of the interview summary.
The investigation into the Bubba Bozo Trip corruption scandal is ongoing and more charges could result from the findings of a second Grand Jury that is reviewing new evidence as it surfaces.
This is an evolving story. Watch this space.