A Florida doctor has been arrested after reportedly coercing minors into harming themselves and filming violent sex tapes, causing one victim to hang herself, according to the Department of Justice.
Stephen Leedy, 59, of St. Petersburg allegedly manipulated at least ten kids through social media, instructing them to engage in explicit acts and harm themselves, WTSP reported.
Leedy, a palliative care doctor in the Tampa Bay area since 1991, posed as an anonymous figure behind the username "maximumuncle#9112."
Over the course of his predatory behavior, he directed minors to produce explicit images of themselves and encouraged them to commit dangerous acts, including cutting, choking, and hanging themselves.
One of his victims, a 13-year-old girl, died by suicide in November 2021, reportedly as a result of his guidance. The girl was found "hanging from the shower head with a dog leash around her neck," according to the DOJ.
The FBI and local authorities began investigating Leedy after his arrest in October 2023. The indictment handed down on December 26 detailed his extensive online manipulation of at least ten victims across the United States, leading to charges of producing child pornography and enticing minors to engage in sexual acts.
His arrest shocked the community, especially given his wife's role as a leader in the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County.
Leedy now faces the possibility of life in prison.
Originally published by Latin Times
