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7th Person Sentenced In Opa-Locka Corruption Scandal

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A seventh person has been sentenced in a wide-ranging corruption scandal in Opa-locka.

Court records show Dante Starks received five years Wednesday in Miami federal court. He pleaded guilty in June to a bribery conspiracy charge and failing to file his 2015 federal income tax return.

Starks wasn't an Opa-locka city employee, but prosecutors say he had great influence over former City Commissioner Luis Santiago. Prosecutors say Starks conspired with Santiago, former city manager David Chiverton and former assistant public works director Gregory Harris to take money from businesses and individuals in exchange for help with official city dealings.

Santiago, Chiverton and Harris were previously sentenced, as well as Raul Sosa Sr., Raul Sosa Jr. and Demetrius Corleon Taylor, who's the son of Opa-locka Mayor Myra Taylor.

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