JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A woman is suing the City of Jacksonville, Sheriff T.K. Waters, and a former Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office officer in federal court, claiming a 2024 traffic stop led to her being improperly touched without her consent.
The lawsuit, filed this week, names former JSO officer Reginald McKinney as the primary defendant. The plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe, was 23 years old at the time of the incident. She is now 25.
Her attorney, Mary Sherris, says the sheriff’s office needs to be held accountable — not just for what happened to her client, but for what she describes as a broader pattern of misconduct within JSO.
“23 years old, it’s dark out. She’s alone. And she’s dealing with an armed police officer,” Sherris said.
What the lawsuit alleges
According to the lawsuit, McKinney pulled the plaintiff over around 1 a.m. in the Edgewood neighborhood because her license was suspended.
The complaint alleges McKinney told the woman he had the authority to arrest her, then turned off his body camera and directed her to follow him to a secluded location several blocks from the original traffic stop.
The lawsuit alleges McKinney repeatedly told the plaintiff she was “fine” and “hot,” asked for her phone number, and asked her for a hug — telling her he had already turned off his body-worn camera.
Once at the secluded location, the lawsuit states the woman complied with a hug because she was afraid. The complaint alleges that while hugging her, McKinney intentionally touched her buttocks and groin area without her consent.
Officer arrested, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor
The woman reported the incident to police shortly after it happened. McKinney was arrested and charged with false imprisonment and battery. He resigned from JSO.
Sheriff T.K. Waters addressed McKinney’s arrest at a news conference in September 2024.
“When a member of this agency violates the law — and I’ve said it time and time again, I hope our officers are listening and I hope the public is listening — we are not going to tolerate it,” Waters said. “They’re held to a higher standard than our public.”
McKinney pleaded guilty in March 2026 to misdemeanor battery. The felony false imprisonment charge was dropped. He was sentenced to six months probation, which ended early in mid-July.
Lawsuit alleges wider pattern at JSO
The lawsuit goes beyond Jane Doe’s case. Attorney Mary Sherris lists 12 incidents with allegations of sexual harassment, misconduct, and abuse by JSO officers and employees dating back to 2017. The list includes the arrest of then-JSO officer Alejandro Carmona-Fonseca, who pleaded guilty to sending nude images and videos to a teenager and was sentenced to federal prison.
Sherris argues the sheriff’s office lacks proper training and supervision of its officers.
“Stopping one officer from repeating his conduct is one thing, but correcting the behavior — the institutional behavior of JSO — is the bigger picture here,” Sherris said.
Her client’s goal, she said, is broader than her own case.
“She wants what happened to her to be taken seriously, and she wants to help ensure that another young woman is not placed in the same position,” Sherris said.
JSO, McKinney decline to comment
News4JAX reached out to McKinney by text asking about the lawsuit. He read the message but did not respond.
The sheriff’s office responded to a request for comment with a statement: “We would be unable to comment as a result of pending litigation.”
News4JAX is working to learn more about each incident outlined in the lawsuit and how each allegation was investigated at the time.
Copyright 2026 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.