Updated as of 4:22 pm on April 13 – Sylvia Poitier has turned herself in at the Broward County Jail just before noon on April 13. Once the Broward Sheriff’s Office releases more information about the charges, they will be posted.

Criminal charges have officially been filed against Deerfield Beach commissioner Sylvia Poitier. According to the Broward State Attorney’s office, Poitier is facing five misdemeanor charges related to voting conflicts of interests that could have benefited family members.

Prosecutors with the Broward State Attorney’s office and the Broward Sheriff’s office worked together to pull the charges together against Poitier whose brother manages a charity that she used her position to allegedly direct money towards according to the charges. The complaints originate with a vote two years ago, in March 2011, that Poitier voted fora grant in facor of the Westside Deerfield Businessmen Association. When she made the vote, a conflict of interest was not filed noting she shouldn’t vote for the $30,000 grant. Poitier’s brother, Lionel Ferguson had loaned $47,000 to the group and had not been paid back yet. Despite the city not approving the grant, it was a conflict because of the direct influence she used to benefit her brother receiving funds owed.

Poitier, 75, has been on the Deerfield commission at various times since 1975, including serving as vice mayor. This time, she was elected in 2008, winning a re-election bid this past March 2011. Poitier turned herself in this morning just before noon and was  released on bond at 3:17pm

She faces 5 counts of  FALSIFY PUBLIC OR COURT RECORDS all first- degree misdemeanors.