Numerous text messages show a complicated relationship and extensive inappropriate comments.
St. Petersburg Managing Director of Economic and Workforce Development Brian Caper, one of the city leaders behind work to redevelop the Historic Gas Plant District and on the canceled deal with the Tampa Bay Rays, has resigned his position after findings that he subjected a subordinate in his department to “sexual harassment and other inappropriate behavior.”
Caper’s resignation, dated Oct. 22 and effective immediately, did not reference the sexual harassment findings. Instead, Caper wrote that it is “the right time” for him “to pursue new career opportunities outside the public sector” in his home state of Illinois.
But documents obtained by Florida Politics outline a troubling history of allegations against Caper by a female subordinate, who officially filed a complaint against Caper on Aug. 29. Florida Politics is redacting her name to protect the victim’s privacy. And interviews with current and former employees who worked with or for Caper show at least one instance in which unprofessional conduct was reported, but not acted upon, in November of 2022.
A City Investigation Panel reviewed text messages the employee provided showing evidence of inappropriate comments and content and interviewed witnesses, including the employee who complained and Caper, finding that claims of sexual harassment were substantiated as defined in city policy.
The employee, who began working under Caper in the Economic and Workforce Development department in February of 2023, told investigators she began feeling uncomfortable in October of 2023 when Caper “began sharing sexually explicit images” with her, according to the investigation’s final report, issued on Oct. 20, 2025.
The investigation outlines an evolving relationship that began as friendly, but soon turned inappropriate, with eventual declarations of love from Caper to the employee and an invitation to attend an out-of-state conference for which she declined because she was uncomfortable.
“You have been and will always be so much more than a work friend,” one text message from June 3, 2024, reads. Caper was responding to a text from the employee explaining that she had “only recently learned how close you consider me when you told me you had to have a chat with Sarah (Caper’s wife).”
Caper, at that time, added that he did “have feelings for you,” but said they were “not in a romantic/crush way, but in a very deep emotional way that I don’t have with most people.”
On July 2, 2024, Caper told the employee who filed the complaint that “his wife asked him if he was in love with (her), but he could not answer the question,” according to the investigation report.
On Aug. 19, 2024, the report shows that Caper texted “believe it or not I do love you.”
The report also outlines how, when the employee first began working with Caper, he “shared his cell phone tracker” with her “so she could see when he was out of the office.” She told the investigation panel that she “was uncomfortable accepting, but relented at Caper’s insistence.”
She then said she “felt obligated” to also share her cell phone information “after further pressure from Caper. Then, he “occasionally referenced her after-hours activities,” which the report said made the employee “very uncomfortable.”
In December 2024, Caper responded to the employee’s attempt to address ongoing workplace tension “by apologizing for not reciprocating Caper’s feelings,” according to the report. Caper responded by text that “I love you but I’m not in love with you,” saying “there’s no way it could ever work” because he is married and she was dating someone else. But he added that “I’m very much attracted to you,” a statement the report says “disturbed” the complainant.
By March 5, 2025, the woman’s discomfort escalated to fear, as evidenced by a text message from Caper stating that “he saw her shaking with fear the last two times they interacted.”
The city’s human resources department instructed Caper to cease personal contact with the complainant. But on April 1, Caper sent her an Instagram message at 10:33 p.m. “asking her when the standoff was going to end,” according to the report. In all, the report says Caper tried to contact the woman nine times on April 15 from 10:17 p.m. until 11:34 p.m.
The report further highlights text message evidence showing Caper making “derogatory, unprofessional, and inappropriate comments” about his department and its employees.
In one, Caper wrote that “whenever I cheat on Sarah it’s with the bull dyke kind of woman,” in reference to one of his female former staff members. The employee, whose name is being redacted to protect privacy, declined to be interviewed, but confirmed information she had provided in her resignation letter in late 2022.
“She asserted that Caper frequently body-shamed women, defamed leadership, and maliciously manipulated the reputations of colleagues behind closed doors for his own benefit,” the report reads, adding that the employee reported Caper’s toxic conduct to management but they chose to overlook it, and instead, promoted him.”
In reference to another, Caper wrote about “her f***ing bulls**t about how her heart isn’t into and she doesn’t know what’s next when she already accepted a position with Ray Jay. F**k you. She’s a lying c**t.”
Another text referenced Caper’s boss, City Development Administrator James Corbett, saying that “If I was gay, I’d be most interested in James.”
The texts included profanity, complaints about city workers’ public speaking skills, educational attainment, and other various unprofessional complaints.
Caper earned a salary of $125,000 per year, according to city documents.
Mayor Ken Welch said the city “takes any allegations of harassment or inappropriate behavior very seriously and will investigate any reported instances to the fullest extent.”
“The city’s HR team is capable, qualified, and equipped to handle employee concerns, and I trust they have done their due diligence in this investigation, as they do in all such matters,” Welch said in a statement. “At the end of the day, my administration does not tolerate inappropriate behavior and we will take the necessary steps to remove any individual who does not act in accordance with our city policies and procedures.”
This content provided in partnership with FloridaPolitics.com