The former director of the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Plant Science Research and Education Unit was arrested last Friday, Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office said.
Daniel Lamar Colvin, 58, of Micanopy, met with Tri-County Irrigation Inc. in Suwannee County on or about May 15, 2015 to purchase irrigation equipment for UF’s PSREU farm in Citra, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Colvin asked Tri-County Irrigation to produce inflated invoices for the UF farm and Colvin Farm’s LLC resulting in $14,030 in overages, according to the affidavit.
Colvin then submitted the invoice to Colvin Farm’s for cost share to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services while he had Tri-County Irrigation pay him the overage back in a check written to his personal business, Colvin Farm’s, according to the affidavit.
Colvin was charged with scheme to defraud less than $20,000 and grand theft for more than $10,000, according to the affidavit.
UF became aware of some of Colvin’s financial discrepancies early in 2016, and a trespass warning for campus property was issued against him, including the Citra center, in May of 2016, wrote UF spokesperson Janine Sikes in an email.
Colvin’s contract with UF was not renewed, and his last day was Aug. 11, 2016, Sikes said. His contract gave him about $150,000 in salary, she said.
Colvin turned himself into Suwannee County Jail and was released on his own recognizance.
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