Crime
St. Petersburg doctor 59-year-old Stephen Andrew Leedy arrested after allegedly instructing young girls to film sex acts while injuring themselves
St. Petersburg, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Stephen Andrew Leedy (59, St. Petersburg) on charges related to the production of child sexual abuse material and coercion of minors to engage in sexual activity.
The Charges:
- Three counts of production of child sexual abuse material
- Two counts of coercing or enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity
Potential Penalty:
- Life in federal prison, if convicted on all counts
Leedy, a palliative care doctor in the Tampa Bay area, allegedly used the online alias “maximumuncle#9112” to exploit and abuse approximately ten minors.
Through online interactions, Leedy is accused of instructing these minors to produce sexually explicit content and to engage in self-harm, including cutting, choking, and hanging.
Tragically, one of the victims, identified as Minor Victim 1, was found deceased by hanging in November 2021, in a manner consistent with Leedy’s prior instructions.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal wrongdoing, and Leedy is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
This case is the result of a collaborative effort by the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the FBI’s Tampa Office, with assistance from the St. Petersburg Police Department, the FBI’s Atlanta Office, and the Holly Springs Police Department.
The prosecution will be handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Abigail K. King and Ilyssa M. Spergel.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Project Safe Childhood 1 unites federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who exploit children and to rescue victims.
Crime
Attorneys Argue Jacob Bard Actions in Deadly Kentucky State University Shooting Were Legally Justified
Attorneys representing Jacob Bard, the man accused in a deadly shooting at Kentucky State University, contend that his actions were legally justified and undertaken in defense of his family amid what they describe as a violent and uncontrolled situation on campus.
In a press release issued Monday afternoon, Bard’s legal team from the Indiana-based law firm Danks & Danks asserted that Bard “was completely justified under the law in his use of deadly force.”
Bard is accused of fatally shooting one Kentucky State University student and wounding another during an incident at a campus dormitory.
According to the attorneys’ statement, Bard traveled to Kentucky State University after his younger son reported being attacked on multiple occasions.
The release alleges that on Monday, December 8, a group of approximately 20 to 30 individuals gathered outside the son’s dormitory, some allegedly armed, and began beating on the door. Campus police were reportedly called to respond to the disturbance.
The following morning, Bard and his wife met with Kentucky State University police. While the attorneys stated that officers appeared sincere in their efforts, they claimed it was evident to the family that campus police were “ill-prepared to deal with the out-of-control and violent environment.”
The legal team further alleges that both the university and its police department failed to adequately address what they described as multiple armed and violent felonies against Bard’s sons, ages 18 and 19, as well as other students in the days preceding the shooting.
Those alleged incidents included burglaries and armed assaults.
Later that morning, the family attended a meeting at Young Hall with campus police and a university dean.
According to the release, the meeting left the family convinced that the university would not be able to maintain a safe environment, prompting them to begin removing the son’s belongings from the dormitory.
When the family returned to the residence hall, the attorneys claim that individuals previously involved in the alleged assaults were present, despite assurances they would not be allowed inside.
The statement further alleges that those individuals photographed the family and made verbal threats.
The attorneys contend that, even with two armed Kentucky State University police officers present, a group of 20 to 30 individuals gathered in the dormitory lobby and “violently and viciously attacked” Bard’s son and family members.
According to the release, Bard’s son was slammed into the concrete floor and beaten by multiple people, and the officer on scene allegedly lost control of the situation.
“In the chaos,” the attorneys wrote, Bard attempted to pull attackers off his son but was struck himself. Believing his son to be in imminent danger of death or serious physical injury, Bard then drew his firearm and shot two individuals whom the attorneys say were actively assaulting his son.
The legal team also stated that no charges have been filed against others allegedly involved in the confrontation and claimed the Bard family has continued to receive death threats.
The release further alleges that the mother of the deceased student has publicly called for retaliation against Bard’s son and sought assistance from criminal groups—claims that have not been independently verified by authorities.
The case against Bard was presented to a grand jury on December 16.
During a previous court hearing, a detective testified that at least one video reviewed by investigators did not show the shooting victims assaulting Bard’s son.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not issued a final determination regarding the circumstances surrounding the shooting.