Lakeland City Worker Accused of Having Sexual Relationship with Teen

A 36-year-old City of Lakeland public works employee is in jail, accused of having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old girl.

According to Polk County Sheriff’s Office detectives, the man met the teen through another person he knew and then allegedly started “grooming” her on Facebook.

Detectives said the man apparently admitted to having several sexual encounters with the girl last summer. Police claim the man encouraged the girl to sneak out of her home late at night for the encounters.

The city of Lakeland said it was in the process of suspending the man while his case made its way through the legal system.

He is being held in the Polk County jail on $40,000 bond.

Being accused of a sexual offense is extremely scary. The costs of a conviction are severe, including prison time and fines, as well as being listed on the Florida Sex Offender Registry. Every time you move or apply for a job, you will quickly be reminded of your past. The places where you can live will be limited, and your neighbors will be able to access this information on the Internet. Living a private life ever again can be extremely difficult. Our Florida Sex Crimes Attorneys at Whittel & Melton know that the stakes are high in these cases, which is why we we aggressively defend people accused of sexual offenses.

If you have been charged with a sex crime in Polk County or elsewhere throughout the state of Florida, let us help you establish the most powerful defense strategy with the hopes of achieving the most positive outcome on your behalf. As former trial attorneys, we are more than familiar with the tricks and tactics the prosecution will use in sex crimes cases. Let us put that knowledge to work for you. Call us today at 866-608-5529 or contact us online for a free consultation.