*WARNING. DETAILS IN THIS STORY MIGHT BE DISTURBING TO SOME VIEWERS*
New court documents are revealing what led up to the arrest of a Charlotte County deputy accused of requesting nude pictures and video from a 10-year-old girl on TikTok.
Deputy James Ford has been arrested and charged with three third-degree felonies.
ALLEGATIONS:
According to a report, the Coryell County Sheriff’s Office in Texas contacted the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 28, regarding a man accused of inappropriate contact with a 10-year-old girl.
The girl’s mother said her 10-year-old daughter was acting inappropriate and not herself.
The report said the mother took the child’s phone and told investigators that she found numerous conversations with a man – including nude pictures and videos of the child sent through TikTok.
Investigators said the child was interviewed by a forensic examiner where she admitted to messaging and sending inappropriate pictures and videos of herself at his request. The man was later identified as Ford.
According to the sheriff’s office report, the girl said the man sent a nude picture of himself as well to her.
Deputies said the man also requested images and videos of her private areas – even asking her to make inappropriate gestures.
An image attached to the screenname on TikTok matched to a Florida Driver’s License found in the state’s database system.
That same day, Ford was brought in for questioning by the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.
At first, deputies said Ford claimed to not be familiar with the TikTok profile.
Investigators said he later admitted he was communicating with the child through that social platform, and further admitted to inappropriate conversations with the child.
“I f***** up. I f****** really bad,” Ford told investigators, according to the report.
Ford was charged with solicitation of a minor online, sending harmful materials to a minor, and harmful communications with a minor.
He has been placed on administrative leave without pay.
IN COURT:
Ford virtually appeared in a Charlotte County courtroom on Wednesday morning. The television with Ford on it was facing the judge, so news outlets could not see the deputy.
Prosecutors in the courtroom said they could not find a criminal history of Ford.
The judge set Ford’s bond at $45,000 and he is not allowed to have contact with minors. Ford also cannot have access to the internet or social media.
However, the judge ruled that Ford can use the internet for financial, employment and attorney communication purposes only. He has to appear in court for arraignment on Dec. 1 at 9:30 a.m.
Prummell said Ford is on administrative leave without pay.
The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office said Ford is protected under Florida State Statute 119, which exempts the mugshots of former and current police officers from being released through public records laws.
However, court documents filed has his mugshot attached to the booking report.