Florida sheriff’s deputy arrested for having sex with teen in youth cadet program multiple times
BAY COUNTY, FLORIDA: Florida sheriff’s deputy is arrested for having sex with a teen he supervised in the department’s youth cadet program. As per an official statement, Matthew Anderson, 21, Bay Country Sheriff's Deputy, has confessed to sexual acts with the 17-year-old a total of five to seven times.
The agency also confirmed that Anderson has admitted to having illicit contact with the victim while on active police duty. Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford said in a statement, “The Bay County Jr. Deputy and Explorer Program is a program for youth that are interested in law enforcement.” He added, “It breaks my heart to know the damage that these actions have caused our kids in the program.” Presently, the 21-year-old officer who had been a patrol deputy since July 2019, is on unpaid leave and is facing a sexual battery charge.
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“At approximately 9:30 a.m. (Tuesday), information was received that a field deputy ... that served in an advisory position in the BCSO Explorer program was engaging in sexual activity with a 17-year-old member of the Explorers,” the sheriff’s office shared as per The News & Observer. It added, “An investigation began into the allegations. Within a few hours, Anderson was arrested. When interviewed, Anderson admitted to five to seven sexual encounters with the victim.”
Ford shared that he plans to meet with the parents of other teen members enrolled in the program, "to offer them the opportunity to ask any questions," if any resulting from the arrest. He said, “We will not let the actions of one person destroy the many positive successes of this program.” Ford further stated that the investigation currently shows no other victims, and it is still ongoing, according to WJHG.
As per the Florida Sheriffs Association, Florida’s Law Enforcement Explorer program is designed for those with "an interest for a career in law enforcement," reported the NY Post. “Young adults ages 14 to 21 can be associated with a sheriff’s office, train and learn about the profession to determine if it’s the right career track for them,” says the association.
In a similar case of power being abused by an uniformed man, Polk County Sheriff’s Office carried out a sex-trafficking sting operation in September. In this 160 people were arrested, including a Georgia police officer, Jason DiPrima. Sheriff Grady Judd said during a press conference while announcing "Operation Fall Haul II" that accused DiPrima who was deputy chief of Georgia’s Cartersville Police Department, is "no longer a police officer," whereas The Cartersville Police Department later stated in a press release that DiPrima had quit pending an internal investigation.