BRADENTON, Fla. (WWSB) – Jail records show former Bradenton police officer Nicholas Owen Leeman is being held in Hillsborough County on a felony child abuse charge.
Court records show Leeman was released into the custody of the Hillsborough County Sheriff on April 23 and is now being held at the Falkenburg Road Jail without bond.
The Bradenton Police Department said Leeman was booked into the Manatee County jail on a Hillsborough County warrant after being charged with felony child abuse on Wednesday, April 22.
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The department said the allegation stemmed from an off-duty incident involving one of his children.
Leeman joined the Bradenton Police Department in October 2022 and was assigned to the K9 Unit. He received a Unit Citation Award in 2025 as part of the Crime Reduction Team and has since been fired from the Bradenton Police Department.
“The alleged actions are unacceptable, contradict our mission to ensure a safe community, and do not align with the department’s values,” the department said in a statement.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office investigation remains ongoing. No additional details are currently available.
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