A veteran Florida detective has been arrested after federal investigators accused him of leaking sensitive police information to people suspected of criminal activity including allegedly warning one man that officers were watching him.

Gainesville Police Detective Kelvin Mattair was arrested by the FBI on September 28, 2026, and is facing eight felony charges, including four counts related to allegedly disclosing confidential law-enforcement information, three counts involving unauthorized use of a restricted police database and one count of unauthorized interception of an oral communication.

According to court documents reported by The Independent Florida Alligator, the FBI began investigating Mattair after receiving information that he was allegedly warning suspected drug dealers and convicted felons about police activity.

One of the most striking allegations involves a convicted felon who had reportedly been under investigation for suspected drug dealing and gun possession. That man later told investigators that Mattair approached him at The Oaks Mall and warned him that Gainesville police were watching him and that he needed to stop what he was doing.

Federal investigators also allege Mattair provided other sensitive information, including details about arrests and police investigations. Authorities say he allegedly used law-enforcement databases for purposes that were not authorized.

FBI officials said Mattair is also accused of advising a suspected drug trafficker to get rid of his vehicle while the individual was under investigation.

The case has drawn even more attention because Mattair had worked with the Gainesville Police Department for about eight years and served as a detective in the Gun Violence Unit. He was also a member of the department’s SWAT team.

During Mattair’s first court appearance, a judge set his bond at $600,000 and ordered him to surrender his passport.

Authorities say the investigation is continuing as agents review whether additional investigations may have been compromised.

Gainesville Police Chief Nelson Moya stressed that Mattair’s arrest should not define the entire department, while prosecutors said allegations involving violations of public trust would be treated seriously.

For investigators, the case now centers on a troubling question: Did a detective entrusted with confidential police intelligence use that access to help the very people officers were investigating?

Mattair remains accused, and the charges have not yet been proven in court.