Okaloosa Sheriff’s deputies served a warrant on Destin City Councilman Rodney Braden on September 11 for a felony theft charge.
Deputies served Braden on behalf of the Florida Department of Professional and Business Regulation (DBPR) after a client accused him of Grand Theft between $10,000 and $20,000.
According to the warrant for Braden’s arrest, Braden took the money in the form of a check between February and April of 2024. Braden allegedly took a job to demolish and rebuild a rear deck and a dune walkover through his business, Rodney’s Home Repair, but lacked several required licenses to do the work.
According to Okaloosa County Jail records, Braden was never booked into the facility.
In a complaint by the homeowner’s lawyer, Braden “partially demolished the rear deck and thereafter abandoned the project entirely. Owners made multiple attempts to contact contractor via phone, text, and email.” The complaint to the Florida DBPR alleged that Braden refused to respond and ignored demands to return the deposit. Additionally, the statement said Braden had not pulled permits for the project, which was inside the city limits.
According to the warrant, Braden is not a licensed contractor.
We’ve reached out to the City of Destin to learn what the charges mean for the councilman in relation to his official duties.
Braden has a court hearing on October 15, 2026.
