HOLLY SPRINGS, GA— A St. Petersburg physician, Dr. Stephen Andrew Leedy, 59, was arrested on a Georgia Interstate on December 19th on a warrant stemming from allegations that he coerced as many as ten young girls to send him sexually explicit photos. Worse still, the doctor, married to a children’s mental-health specialist, reportedly urged the girls to “cut, choke and hang themselves,” leading to the death of a 13-year-old girl.
As reported by The New York Post, Leedy was arrested without incident on the 19th while his wife, and mother-in-law looked on. “I’m assuming this is a case of mistaken identity,” he can be heard saying on bodycam. “I’m a physician.”
According to The Tampa Bay Times, Prosecutors in Florida said that in November of 2022, a 13-year-old girl was found dead after hanging herself in front of her phone. A forensic search of her device revealed that she was in contact with a party under the username “maximumuncle#9112,” which investigators later determined to by Dr. Leedy. In the messages, the 59-year-old instructed the girl to create sexually abusive images and choke herself.
A Pasco County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson confirmed to WBTW that the agency investigated the death of the girl. “During the investigation, there was concerning content located on the juvenile’s cell phone, and that information was provided to the FBI and DOJ for further investigation.”
An investigation of Leedy’s account found similar interactions with several other children in which he directed them to create child pornography and similarly mutilate themselves. Prosecutors told the Times, he was “very clearly engaged in this predatory behavior with approximately 10 minor victims across the country.”
“The weight of evidence against Leedy is extremely strong,” prosecutors stated in court documents. “Leedy very clearly engaged in this predatory behavior with approximately 10 minors across the country.”
In a motion, prosecutors wrote, “Leedy never revealed his true identity on this online social media application and when he spoke to the minor victims over video chat, he maintained a black screen to further conceal his identity.”
“Everything that Leedy instructed these minor victims to do was either physically or mentally detrimental to the minor victims,” they added. “He had absolutely no (regard) for their safety and took advantage of children more than half his age to gratify himself.”
Florida Surgeon General Joseph Lapado has reportedly suspended Leedy’s medical license citing his “vile, reprehensible, and sadistic conduct of directing children to engage in degrading sex acts, self-harm, and mutilation,” per the Tampa Bay Times.
Holly Springs Police told the WFLA that Leedy was booked at Fayette County Jail in Atlanta where US Marshalls took custody. He is expected to be transported back to Florida to face three counts of production of child sexual abuse material and two counts of coercing or enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity.
As reported by The New York Post, Leedy was arrested without incident on the 19th while his wife, and mother-in-law looked on. “I’m assuming this is a case of mistaken identity,” he can be heard saying on bodycam. “I’m a physician.”
According to The Tampa Bay Times, Prosecutors in Florida said that in November of 2022, a 13-year-old girl was found dead after hanging herself in front of her phone. A forensic search of her device revealed that she was in contact with a party under the username “maximumuncle#9112,” which investigators later determined to by Dr. Leedy. In the messages, the 59-year-old instructed the girl to create sexually abusive images and choke herself.
A Pasco County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson confirmed to WBTW that the agency investigated the death of the girl. “During the investigation, there was concerning content located on the juvenile’s cell phone, and that information was provided to the FBI and DOJ for further investigation.”
A Florida doctor is arrested while driving with his wife and mother-in-law over claims he got children to send him sex images and helped a 13-year-old girl he allegedly groomed KILL HERSELF ... Authorities say Dr. Stephen Andrew Leedy, 59, helped a young girl hang herself. pic.twitter.com/VNC0BApYAe
— Champagne Joshi (@JoshWalkos) January 9, 2025
An investigation of Leedy’s account found similar interactions with several other children in which he directed them to create child pornography and similarly mutilate themselves. Prosecutors told the Times, he was “very clearly engaged in this predatory behavior with approximately 10 minor victims across the country.”
“The weight of evidence against Leedy is extremely strong,” prosecutors stated in court documents. “Leedy very clearly engaged in this predatory behavior with approximately 10 minors across the country.”
In a motion, prosecutors wrote, “Leedy never revealed his true identity on this online social media application and when he spoke to the minor victims over video chat, he maintained a black screen to further conceal his identity.”
“Everything that Leedy instructed these minor victims to do was either physically or mentally detrimental to the minor victims,” they added. “He had absolutely no (regard) for their safety and took advantage of children more than half his age to gratify himself.”
Florida Surgeon General Joseph Lapado has reportedly suspended Leedy’s medical license citing his “vile, reprehensible, and sadistic conduct of directing children to engage in degrading sex acts, self-harm, and mutilation,” per the Tampa Bay Times.
Holly Springs Police told the WFLA that Leedy was booked at Fayette County Jail in Atlanta where US Marshalls took custody. He is expected to be transported back to Florida to face three counts of production of child sexual abuse material and two counts of coercing or enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity.
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