Doctor Accused Of Coercing 13-Year-Old To Create Explicit Images, Hang Herself
HuffPost
The girl was found dead in her home in November 2022 and is one of at least 10 minor victims, according to federal prosecutors in Florida.
A Florida doctor is accused of coercing at least 10 minors to produce child sexual abuse material, including a 13-year-old girl who died after he instructed her to hang herself, federal prosecutors announced Monday.
Stephen Andrew Leedy, 59, a palliative care doctor in the Tampa Bay area who allegedly went by “maximumuncle#9112,” was charged with three counts of production of child sexual abuse material and two counts of coercing or enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity.
Leedy’s attorneys Bjorn Brunvand and Lucas Fleming told HuffPost in a statement that their client “adamantly denies the charges.”
“It is particularly important in moments like this when someone is being accused of very troubling allegations, that we afford him the presumption of innocence,” the statement read. “We will be entering a not guilty plea at the earliest opportunity and look forward to vigorously defending Dr. Leedy in court.”
In a motion for detention from the U.S. attorney’s office for the Middle District of Florida, obtained by HuffPost, Leedy is accused of instructing the minors to produce sexually explicit images of themselves and, in many cases, directing them to cut, choke and hang themselves. He never revealed his true identity online and concealed himself when video chatting by using a black screen, the U.S. attorney’s office said.
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