Health officials issue ‘emergency suspension order’ on Bay Area doctor accused of sexually exploiting children
TAMPA, Fla. - A Tampa Bay area doctor’s medical license is under an emergency suspension order, after he was accused of sexually exploiting children online.
According to the Department of Justice, Stephen Leedy, 59, a palliative care doctor, was arrested and 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.
According to the Florida Health Department’s website, an emergency suspension order on Leedy’s license was filed on Tuesday. Under an emergency suspension, the health department said the licensed practitioner can’t practice in Florida while their license is suspended.
RELATED: Bay Area doctor accused of sexually exploiting kids told them to cut, choke and hang themselves: DOJ
Court documents allege that Leedy used the name "maximumuncle#9112" to sexually exploit and victimize approximately 10 minors online. In online conversations and video chats, Leedy instructed the minors to produce sexually explicit images of themselves and directed them to cut, choke and hang themselves, according to the Department of Justice.
Investigators said one of the victims was as young as 11 or 12 years old when she first started talking to Leedy.
In November 2021, the U.S. Attorney's Office said one of the alleged victims, a 13-year-old girl, was found dead in her bathroom after she hung herself in front of her phone in a manner consistent with instructions Leedy had given her in the past.
According to court documents, Leedy’s conversations with other minors on a social media app also revolved around the production of child pornography and self-harm. Investigators said Leedy ‘hid behind the cloak of anonymity’ by either lying about his identity or using a black screen in video calls with the victims.
They said Leedy allegedly asked at least one victim to refer to him as ‘my Lord.’
The Holly Springs Police Department in Georgia said a BOLO for Leedy was put out on December 19. That same evening, Holly Springs police officers spotted Leedy on the interstate in Cherokee County, Georgia and pulled his car over.
As Leedy was taken out of the car and handcuffed, he could be heard on an officer’s body camera footage asking what was going on. Leedy was later heard saying he assumed it was a case of mistaken identity, and told officers that he was a physician.
Police said Leedy was arrested and then taken into custody by agents with the FBI-Atlanta office. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Leedy is in U.S. Marshal's custody in Atlanta, and he’s expected to be brought back to the Tampa Bay area.
Leedy’s attorneys, Bjorn Brunvand and Lucas Fleming, sent the following statement to FOX 13:
"Our client, Stephen Leedy adamantly denies the charges that have been filed against him in federal court. 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. We will be entering a not guilty plea at the earliest opportunity and look forward to vigorously defending Dr. Leedy in court."
It’s not clear where Leedy was most recently employed, but he has an extensive history of involvement in the medical community around the Bay Area.
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