Palm Coast Councilman Under Investigation Following Kidnapping Allegations

Bunnell, FL - The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) is calling on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) to investigate Palm Coast City Councilman Victor Barbosa after the agency learned he could be a fugitive wanted for kidnapping. According to an email obtained by News Daytona Beach, provided by the FCSO, Chief Dan Eckert contacted Commissioner Rick Swearingen of the FDLE on Tuesday (July 6) and requested an executive investigation into District 2 Councilman Barbosa, whose term ends next year. Per Chief Eckert’s email, deputies checked Barbosa’s information following a crash he was involved in—which is standard procedure—back on March 4. Days after the crash, FCSO received a "delayed hit" that said Barbosa was a fugitive from a foreign country and is "considered armed and dangerous on the charge of kidnapping" and the US Department of Justice (DOJ) needs to be contacted about the matter. After contacting the DOJ, FCSO learned that investigators "opened a case" on Barbosa back on May 6. In continuing the investigation, the FCSO has come to believe that Barbosa is in fact a wanted fugitive from Costa Rica. According to FCSO, Costa Rican authorities have charges in multiple jurisdictions that also include extortion. "While at this time the U.S. Department of Justice has not given FCSO authority to make a physical arrest of Mr. Barbosa and hold him as a Fugitive from Justice on the Costa Rica charges we believe the existence of the [REDACTED] hit and pending charges is a violation of FSS 112.51 (2)," wrote Chief Eckert. "We are requesting an investigation by FDLE’s Office of Executive Investigations so the Governor’s Office may take appropriate action, if necessary." Additional emails from Costa Rican authorities, again supplied by FCSO, show Barbosa has three orders to appear for a 2018 aggravated robbery charge, a 2018 extortion charge, and a 2016 assault with a weapon charge. That email went on to say that these are simply "presentation orders" and not arrest warrants, as Barbosa has yet to be indicted. Barbosa was elected to the District 2 spot of the Palm Coast City Council in 2020 after receiving 38.1 percent of the vote, beating out David Alfin, Bob Coffman, and Dennis McDonald.