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.