Former Palm Bay councilman pleads no contest to DUI, cocaine possession; other charges dropped
Full body camera video: Arrest of Palm Bay Councilman Peter Filiberto
New body camera video shows the moment Peter Filiberto, a Palm Bay councilman, was arrested on several charges including possession of a controlled substance, reckless driving, DUI, and operating a motorcycle without a license, according to police. (Video credit: Palm Bay Police Department)
PALM BAY, Fla. - A former Palm Bay councilman who resigned following his arrest on multiple charges, including driving under the influence and drug possession, has pled no contest, court documents show.
Peter Filiberto appeared in a Brevard County court on Tuesday where he withdrew his previous plea of not guilty on his most serious charge of cocaine possession, and pled no contest.
An adjudication of guilt was withheld on that charge, and he was sentenced to probation/house arrest for a period of 24 months, officials said.
On the DUI charge, Filiberto also changed his plea from not guilty to no contest, and he was adjudicated guilty. On that charge, his sentence requires him to be placed on supervised probation for a period of 12 months, his driver license will be revoked for a period of six months, he must perform community service for a period of 50 hours and he must enroll in DUI school within 90 days.
His other charges of refusing to take a breath/urine/blood DUI test, driving with a suspended license and no motorcycle endorsement on his driver's license, have since been dropped.
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Filiberto, who was elected as a councilman in 2022, was stopped by police back in February for riding his motorcycle south on Lipscomb Street NE at a high rate of speed and for running two stop signs while driving through a nearby neighborhood. An arrest report also stated that Filiberto appeared to attempt a U-turn, but lost control of his bike and fell over.
Body camera video was later released by the Palm Bay Police Department showing the moment he was arrested.
Police said he refused to speak with an officer during a traffic stop and refused to participate in a field sobriety test. However, based on the totality of the circumstances, including the smell of alcohol on his breath, he was arrested, police said.
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While being processed at the police station, officers said they found plastic containers with a white substance – which later tested positive for cocaine – in his sock and in his shoe.
Filiberto resigned a day after city leaders called for his suspension by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Filiberto submitted a resignation letter and wrote that it was "effective immediately." It did not mention his arrest.