A Florida physician is accused of coercing no less than 10 minors to provide little one sexual abuse materials, together with a 13-year-old woman who died after he instructed her to hold herself, federal prosecutors introduced Monday.
Stephen Andrew Leedy, 59, a palliative care physician within the Tampa Bay space who allegedly glided by “maximumuncle#9112,” was charged with three counts of manufacturing of kid sexual abuse materials and two counts of coercing or engaging a minor to have interaction in sexual exercise.
Leedy’s attorneys Bjorn Brunvand and Lucas Fleming advised JHB in a press release that their shopper “adamantly denies the fees.”
“It’s notably vital in moments like this when somebody is being accused of very troubling allegations, that we afford him the presumption of innocence,” the assertion learn. “We can be coming into a not responsible plea on the earliest alternative and stay up for vigorously defending Dr. Leedy in courtroom.”
In a movement for detention from the U.S. lawyer’s workplace for the Center District of Florida, obtained by JHB, Leedy is accused of instructing the minors to provide sexually express pictures of themselves and, in lots of instances, directing them to chop, choke and grasp themselves. He by no means revealed his true id on-line and hid himself when video chatting by utilizing a black display, the U.S. lawyer’s workplace mentioned.
The investigation started in November 2022, when the 13-year-old woman was found useless inside her lavatory together with her cellphone propped up in entrance of her, based on the movement. Authorities who searched the cellphone found she had been participating in sexually express conversations with somebody whom prosecutors allege is Leedy.
Within the conversations, the woman was directed to provide graphic pictures of herself and interact in “each day hangings,” based on the movement.
A search of a social media account that allegedly belonged to Leedy revealed extra conversations instructing minors to hurt themselves for the person’s sexual gratification.
“The conversations frequently revolved round his management over the minor sufferer, commenting on how ‘obedient’ they’re and asking no less than one minor sufferer to confer with him as ‘my Lord,’” prosecutors wrote within the movement.
Prosecutors didn’t specify what social media platform Leedy allegedly used to speak with the minors.
Court docket information present Leedy was taken into custody on Dec. 20. He was in Georgia on the time of his arrest and is awaiting extradition to Florida, based on courtroom information. Brunvand confirmed to JHB that his shopper is at the moment in custody in a federal jail in Atlanta.
In keeping with WFTS-TV, an ABC affiliate in Tampa, Leedy’s spouse, Lynda Leedy, is chief administrative officer of the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County, which incorporates Tampa.
In a press release addressing the allegations, the board’s chief government, Beth Houghton, advised WFTS that “Ms. Leedy is a valued member of JWB’s Govt Management Group, the place she holds herself and others to the best requirements of moral {and professional} habits and possesses impeccable integrity.
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“Whereas this information leaves us surprised and saddened for Ms. Leedy, her household, and any potential victims on this case, I’ve the utmost confidence in her capacity to proceed to hold out JWB’s mission of strengthening the lives of our county’s youngsters and households.”
For those who or somebody wants assist, name or textual content 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for psychological well being help. Moreover, you’ll find native psychological well being and disaster assets at dontcallthepolice.com. Outdoors of the U.S., please go to the Worldwide Affiliation for Suicide Prevention.