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Submitted by Redington Beach Residents
May 01, 2025 08:38 ET | Source: Redington Beach Residents

Florida Resident Raises Allegations of Retaliation, Selective Enforcement, and Procedural Violations by Redington Beach Officials

REDINGTON BEACH, FL — Vitaliy Kravchenko, a homeowner in Redington Beach, Florida, has submitted formal complaints to state and federal officials, raising concerns about an alleged sustained campaign of retaliation, selective enforcement, and misuse of government authority by town officials. The allegations name Mayor David Will, Deputy Tony DeAngelo (Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office), FWC Officer Jody Criswell, Municipal Attorney Rob Eschenfelder, and Code Enforcement Officer Marquis Fitzgerald.

Political Expression Allegedly Targeted Through Local Ordinances

According to Kravchenko, issues began in 2022 after he parked his personal Ford F-250 on his property. The truck displayed decals supporting Donald Trump and a decentralized free speech platform. Despite the absence of HOA restrictions and no commercial usage, Redington Beach cited the vehicle under a vague ordinance.

After Kravchenko contested the citation successfully, presenting legal precedent during a public Town Hall meeting, town leadership allegedly responded by enacting a new ordinance banning vehicle decals altogether. This ordinance, reportedly drafted by municipal attorney Rob

Eschenfelder, effectively nullified Kravchenko’s previous defense and enabled further citations totaling over $700. A constitutional challenge regarding the new ordinance is pending before the Florida Supreme Court.

Viral Beach Incident Triggers Delayed Legal Action

In July 2024, Kravchenko was involved in a scooter-related incident on the beach that was widely circulated online. Although the incident appeared accidental, it drew attention due to Kravchenko wearing political apparel. The case was later revisited by FWC Officer Jody Criswell, who was not present at the time of the event. A report was filed weeks later, leading Kravchenko to question the timing and motives behind the enforcement.

Wider Pattern of Alleged Selective Enforcement

Kravchenko’s experience reflects what he describes as a larger pattern of selective enforcement practices within Redington Beach. He and other residents have raised concerns that enforcement actions—particularly related to short-term rentals and property codes—appear to disproportionately affect politically unaffiliated or dissenting individuals, while politically connected residents allegedly face less scrutiny.

Controversial Code Enforcement Practices Highlighted

In a separate incident, Kravchenko reports that code enforcement officer Marquis Fitzgerald, a town hire who was previously terminated from a prior law enforcement position after a domestic violence charge in 2023 (publicly available case records), confronted him regarding minor gravel movement on his property. Kravchenko states that the work performed required no permit and that similar work being conducted by Mayor David Will nearby was not cited.

Weeks later, Fitzgerald issued Kravchenko a $5,500 fine, which remains under formal dispute. Kravchenko alleges that employing an officer with a history of criminal charges to engage in enforcement actions against a vocal resident raises concerns about intimidation tactics.

Warrantless Entry and Missing Public Records

In another troubling incident, deputies from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office entered Kravchenko’s backyard without a warrant in 2022, opening a locked side gate and entering through French doors under the pretense of a noise complaint. No citation was issued.

Following a formal complaint, Kravchenko filed public records requests seeking communications between Deputy DeAngelo and Mayor Will. The response returned no records whatsoever, despite extensive known interactions. Additionally, body camera footage from the warrantless entry incident was reported missing. These disappearances have raised serious concerns about potential violations of Florida’s Sunshine Law and possible suppression of public evidence.

Allegations of Financial Exhaustion Through Legal Pressure

Kravchenko describes the accumulation of fines, citations, legal disputes, and procedural costs as an example of “lawfare”—the use of legal and administrative tactics to financially exhaust and silence political dissenters. To date, he estimates tens of thousands of dollars have been expended defending against these actions.

Cultural Discrimination Allegations

Kravchenko, a Ukrainian-American immigrant, also reports a pattern of cultural discrimination and harassment since relocating to Redington Beach. He asserts that the hostility he and his family have faced goes beyond typical political disagreement and reflects broader social tensions faced by immigrant families in some communities.

Formal Calls for Oversight

Due to the scale and persistence of the alleged misconduct, Kravchenko and a growing number of concerned residents are requesting formal investigations by Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna, Congressman Matt Gaetz, and State Representative Linda Chaney. The allegations raised include potential violations of civil rights, due process, public records laws, and constitutional protections of free speech and political expression.

Conclusion

Kravchenko’s case raises serious concerns about local governance in Redington Beach. Allegations of selective enforcement, politically motivated code actions, unauthorized home entry, public records irregularities, and retaliatory ordinances point to an urgent need for oversight and reform. Without intervention, residents fear that municipal power will continue to be used as a tool of political retaliation rather than as a means of fair governance.