Investigators say Keith O’Connor cashed an employee’s winnings while prosecutors declined charges.
TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa’s code enforcement director, Keith O’Connor, was fired Tuesday after a state investigation concluded he cashed a $20,000 lottery ticket that belonged to a city employee, according to officials briefed on the findings. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement reviewed the case and prosecutors declined to file charges, but the city removed O’Connor for violating professional standards.
City leaders said the decision follows months of scrutiny that began with a separate criminal case involving a subordinate. The firing places one of Tampa’s most visible enforcement offices under renewed attention as the city weighs discipline for the employee whose ticket was cashed and answers questions about internal controls. Mayor Jane Castor emphasized that department heads must model integrity. The episode revives public memories of earlier controversies linked to O’Connor’s family, adding pressure on City Hall to show swift accountability and clear next steps.
Investigators began looking at the lottery ticket in late summer while examining allegations against code enforcement employee Aubrey Pierce. Police arrested Pierce in August on felony counts that include bribery by a public servant, unlawful disposal of hazardous waste, grand theft and violations of Florida’s litter law. During that probe, detectives found text messages and call records between Pierce and O’Connor referencing a winning ticket. People familiar with the case said Pierce owed child support and risked forfeiting the prize if he redeemed it himself. O’Connor allegedly cashed the ticket for Pierce, a move city officials later said fell short of expected conduct. “Our organization is built on professionalism, accountability and integrity,” Mayor Castor said in a statement. O’Connor was placed on paid leave in September as FDLE reviewed the matter.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement examined the communications and referred the case to prosecutors. The State Attorney’s Office declined to pursue charges against O’Connor, citing insufficient evidence to secure a conviction. City officials, however, said criminal thresholds differ from workplace standards and concluded the conduct violated policies for leaders who oversee permitting, dumping complaints and neighborhood blight cases. Pierce, hired in February 2023, remains a city employee but is suspended with pay pending a disciplinary hearing. He has pleaded not guilty to some of the felony counts and has not entered pleas on others. The city did not disclose who physically redeemed the ticket at a retailer or which game produced the $20,000 prize, and investigators did not allege the ticket was stolen.
O’Connor’s dismissal arrives three years after a widely seen November 2022 traffic stop in Oldsmar led to the resignation of his wife, Mary O’Connor, as Tampa police chief. Body camera footage showed her identifying herself as chief during a stop of a golf cart driven by her husband; the episode ended without a citation and prompted an internal review. She resigned Dec. 5, 2022, at the mayor’s request, after investigators said she violated conduct rules. Keith O’Connor was appointed to lead code enforcement after a long tenure in city government, overseeing inspectors who respond to illegal dumping, unpermitted work and chronic nuisance properties—areas where public trust is central to compliance.
City records show O’Connor was fired on Tuesday, Dec. 2, following the FDLE review and internal consultations with the city’s legal and human resources offices. Officials said the termination letter cites standards of professionalism and integrity for managerial staff. Pierce’s administrative hearing is expected this month, with outcomes ranging from additional suspension to termination. FDLE has closed its lottery-ticket case, but Tampa police continue to coordinate on the unresolved felony charges against Pierce stemming from alleged bribe-taking connected to illegal dumping on city land. No court date was immediately available for those charges.
Outside the code enforcement office Wednesday, contractors pulled permits while residents filed complaints about debris piles after the holiday weekend. A supervisor, who declined to give his name because he is not authorized to speak, said staff had been instructed to continue field operations as scheduled. “People still need help with overgrowth and trash,” he said. A neighborhood association leader said the firing was “necessary to reset confidence” but urged the city to publish clearer rules on employee financial dealings. No one answered at a number listed for O’Connor. A person who picked up at a listing for Pierce declined to comment.
The code enforcement division is now led by an acting director while the city searches for an interim appointee and reviews supervision protocols. Officials said a public update on Pierce’s disciplinary hearing could come next week. The State Attorney’s Office said it will notify the city if any new evidence surfaces that would change its charging decision. For now, the FDLE case is closed, O’Connor is out of his job, and the city’s next milestone is the internal hearing for Pierce expected in mid-December.
Author note: Last updated December 4, 2025.