FORT MYERS, Fla. — Silence fell over Fort Myers city leadership Tuesday as council members and city officials attended a local groundbreaking event less than 24 hours after a tense, chaotic City Council meeting dominated by public outrage and demands for Mayor Kevin Anderson’s resignation over sexual misconduct allegations.
The tensions stem from public comments made during Monday night’s City Council meeting, where two young men publicly accused Anderson of soliciting them for sex and making improper advances.
Dominic Hendricks, an 18-year-old Florida Gulf Coast University student, addressed the council directly, alleging that an interaction with the mayor during a downtown Fourth of July celebration escalated into unsolicited sexual advances.
“On the Fourth of July, Kevin Anderson sexually harassed me. He tried to solicit sex from me,” Hendricks told the council, describing questions about his sexuality and personal life. “I was uncomfortable and scared throughout the entire conversation. I couldn’t sleep that night or the next.”
Another accuser, Kagan Vann, alleged that Anderson propositioned him for sex in November 2024 at a local bar. Vann claimed his drink may have been spiked during the encounter. WINK Investigates obtained Fort Myers Police body camera footage from that night, showing Vann clearly intoxicated. He was transported by EMS and reported his claims to police. Due to a potential conflict it was transferred to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) which closed the case without any criminal charges.
Throughout the accusations, Mayor Anderson has consistently denied any wrongdoing, insisting his actions and conversations have been misrepresented.
“I want to be clear: these allegations being made are completely false and taken out of context,” Anderson said following the public comments on Monday. “These exchanges are being taken out of context to create a false narrative.”
Monday’s meeting descended into uproar as residents filled the chamber, shouting “Shame!” and calling on the mayor to step down immediately. Several speakers urged the remaining council members to demand Anderson’s resignation or initiate proceedings to remove him. The scene ended with law enforcement officers escorting Anderson out of City Hall for his safety amid surrounding crowds.
On Tuesday, Anderson attended a scheduled public event for the groundbreaking of the new Fort Myers Police Headquarters. Chief WINK Investigates Reporter Chorus Nylander asked him to clarify what he sees as the true narrative behind the accusations and to provide the allegedly missing context, Anderson declined to elaborate further on the claims.
“I am here to celebrate the groundbreaking of the police headquarters,” Anderson said. “As I said last night, the allegations are false.”
While Anderson made his public appearance, members of the City Council and local leadership largely declined to address the growing controversy during the event.
When approached by Chorus Nylander for comment regarding calls from residents to reopen an investigation, Police Chief Jason Fields demurred, citing the event’s focus. “We’re in the middle of a groundbreaking, now is not appropriate,” Fields said.
Efforts to seek comment from individual council members yielded similar declines or deflections:
Councilman Liston Bochette declined to comment on the allegations, saying, “It’s not city business, we’re talking about the budget.”
Councilman Fred Burson also passed on commenting, stating, “No, this is about the police station today, thank you for asking.”
Councilwoman Darla Bonk responded with “no comment.”
Councilwoman Teresa Watkins Brown deferred questions to colleague Councilwoman Terolyn Watson, suggesting Watson intended to advocate on the matter.
While Watson was at the city event, we were not able to speak with her on the record. WINK Investigates made multiple attempts to reach her but we have not heard back.
We also did not speak directly with Councilwoman Diana Giraldo, we have reached out to her but have not received a response.
Community members and advocates supporting the accusers have pledged to maintain public pressure at upcoming City Council meetings as they continue to call for “accountability” and further review.
WINK Investigates will keep you informed as we learn more.