Clewiston city hall raid sparks concern; officials remain silent

Questions surround the City of Clewiston after law enforcement raided Clewiston City Hall, leaving residents confused and concerned. The Hendry County Sheriff's Office said they received tips about questionable business practices, which led them to obtain a subpoena and a search warrant.

Our WINK News crew witnessed investigators on-site throughout the day on Tuesday, emphasizing that this is a "sensitive" investigation. HCSO said "Detectives removed a substantial amount of evidence for criminal analysis.  It is uncertain how long this process will take."

Typically, search warrants are executed at homes, businesses, and vehicles, so neighbors say Tuesday's search at Clewiston City Hall was unusual. The Hendry County Sheriff's Office arrived with both marked and unmarked vehicles, including a crime scene investigation van, and spent the entire day at the location.

WINK Investigates reporter Olivia Jean spent her day reaching out to city officials for answers. Neighbors expressed their desire for answers.

"It's definitely unsettling to see that town hall and everything's being raided and being under investigation, and people don't even know why," said a Clewiston neighbor.

"What is going on," asked another Clewiston neighbor said.

Inside City Hall, officials remained tight-lipped, leaving many without answers.

"We're hoping to speak to someone about what happened yesterday," said Olivia Jean. "A lot of the clues to neighbors are wondering what's going on, seeing a big law enforcement presence, and we're hoping to speak to someone today who can explain what's going on."

Despite efforts to contact city commissioners, the city manager, the mayor, and the vice mayor, Olivia Jean received no comments.

Commissioner Jason Williams texted back, stating he has no information about the raid and is left in the dark. 

Commissioner Barbara Edmonds also texted, saying she has no comment at this time.

"It's supposed to be America's sweetest town. It's not," said another Clewiston neigbor, expressing disappointment.

A judge has sealed the search warrant. 

WINK Investigates will continue to press public officials for answers and hold them accountable.