According to the Justice Department, a Florida doctor is facing several charges for sexually abusing kids he met on social internet and telling them to "cut, choke, and hang themselves" while he watched on video chat.

Stephen Leedy, 59, of St. Petersburg, is suspected of leading at least one of his young victims to her demise. The 13-year-old victim was discovered "hanging from the shower head with a dog leash around her neck." On December 26, an indictment outlining the allegations against him was handed down. The charges included two counts of coercing or persuading a minor to engage in sexual behavior and three counts of producing material pertaining to child sexual abuse. Leedy faces a possible sentence of life in prison if found guilty.

In a press release, DOJ officials said, “According to the indictment and court documents, Leedy, a palliative care doctor in the Tampa Bay area, utilized the username ‘maximumuncle#9112’ to sexually exploit and victimize approximately ten 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. In November 2021, Minor Victim 1 was discovered deceased, having hanged herself in front of her phone in a manner consistent with instructions Leedy had previously provided her.”

Prosecutors described the alarming charges against Leedy in a pretrial application for detention filed on December 17. They claimed that he posed "an extreme danger to minors in society and his release from custody would be in direct conflict with maintaining community safety." They explained how the evidence against him "is extremely strong" and demonstrated his purported preoccupation with abusing children sexually and causing them harm.

Prosecutors stated, “Through social media conversations and investigative means, law enforcement confirmed Leedy’s ownership over the account used to encourage minors to engage in sadistic and sexual behavior. Minor victims have been interviewed, identified themselves within conversations, and confirmed the horrific acts Leedy instructed them to do. Leedy very clearly engaged in this predatory behavior with approximately ten minor victims across the country.”

Prosecutors claim that Leedy used video chats and messages to coach a number of females, giving them instructions on how to injure themselves sexually and with household objects. A 13-year-old girl was told to "cut her breasts with a blade" and then strangle herself. According to the prosecution, another was instructed to carry out "daily hangings."

“Can ur life be full with cutting your boobs and tmmy for daddy, not eating and puking for daddy,” Leedy allegedly wrote in a message to the 13-year-old.

“Go get the belt so we can start choking u,” he allegedly said, before asking: “Have u ever put the end of the belt over the top of your door, and then close the door?”

Although Leedy was detained in October by investigators from the Pasco County Sheriff's Office and FBI Tampa Office, with help from the St. Petersburg Police Department, FBI Atlanta Office, and the Holly Springs Police Department, he wasn't formally charged until last week.

In their motion for detention, prosecutors stated, “The nature and circumstances of the offenses charged are extremely serious. Leedy directed the three minor victims named in the indictment, along with approximately seven additional minor victims, to produce child pornography while on video calls with him to satisfy his own sexual deviant interest in children. The conversations continually revolved around his control over the minor victim, commenting on how ‘obedient’ they are and asking at least one minor victim to refer to him as ‘my Lord.'”

He has been practicing medicine in the state since January 1991, according to records from the Florida Department of Health, and he specializes in hospice and palliative care, according to local NBC affiliate WFLA. The accused victims had no idea who he was or what his occupation was.

“He hid behind the cloak of anonymity by either lying about his identity or using a black screen while engaging in video calls with the minor victims. Everything that Leedy instructed these minor victims to do was either physically or mentally detrimental to the minor victims. He had absolutely no disregard for their safety and took advantage of children more than half his age to gratify himself,” prosecutors said.

His lawyers stated that their client plans to plead not guilty.

“Our client, Stephen Leedy, adamantly denies the charges that have been filed against him in federal court,” attorneys Bjorn Brunvand and Lucas Fleming told the outlet.

“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,” they added. “We will be entering a not guilty plea at the earliest opportunity and look forward to vigorously defending Dr. Leedy in court.”
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