Two state health inspectors were arrested Tuesday in a bribery  sting involving restaurant inspections they performed in the Jacksonville  area.

The sting, dubbed Operation Take Out/Pay Out, began after Jacksonville police  received a tip in October 2011 that one of the men was soliciting bribes for  overlooking health violations in area restaurants. The investigation, joined by  the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and other agencies, led to a second  suspect being identified, Sheriff John Rutherford said.

Moses Davis Jr., 54, of the 200 block of North Aquarius Circle, and Steven  Rivera, 44, of the 6300 block of Collins Road, are charged with accepting  unlawful compensation for official behavior. They were both jailed on $100,000  bail for the second-degree felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

The men also have been fired as sanitation and safety specialists with the  Department of Business and Professional Regulation, an agency spokeswoman said.  They were responsible for noting everything from rodent problems to improperly  kept food.