In a shocking development, a Florida police officer, 24-year-old Markanthony Fernandez, has been arrested over accusations of hosting a party involving drugs, alcohol, and sexual acts with four teenage girls. The arrest follows a thorough investigation conducted by the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Fernandez is facing a total of four felony charges and six misdemeanor charges related to the alleged incident, which is said to have occurred during the weekend of February 3. The inappropriate behavior reportedly involved two 18-year-old girls as well as a 17-year-old and a 16-year-old.
According to Sheriff Grady Judd, Fernandez is believed to have initially connected with at least one of the teenage girls through social media, subsequently introducing him to the others involved.
The allegations against Fernandez are deeply troubling. Authorities claim he recorded multiple Snapchat videos, depicting one of the 18-year-olds wearing his police-issued jacket while the 17-year-old performed a sexual act on the older girl at his behest. Disturbingly, some of these videos purportedly showed the victims in a state of nudity inside Fernandez's residence in Lake Wales.
Investigators further allege that Fernandez provided the teenagers with THC gummies, vape pens, and alcohol. Moreover, he reportedly expressed sexual interest in choking, leading to concerning incidents where he allegedly choked one of the 18-year-olds until she lost consciousness and frightened the 17-year-old by gripping her neck tightly.
The gravity of the situation escalated when Fernandez shared videos of the incident with his colleagues at the Bartow Police Department. This prompted swift action, with the case eventually being transferred to the Polk County Sheriff's Office for further investigation.
Fernandez, who was hired by the Bartow Police Department in September 2020 and briefly worked for the sheriff's office in October 2021 before returning to Bartow police in December of the same year, has been on paid administrative leave since February. His employment status now hangs in the balance pending termination.
Sheriff Judd minced no words in describing Fernandez's actions, labeling him "a bad guy" who abused his position of authority. Deputy Chief Stephen Walker of the Bartow Police expressed disappointment, highlighting the challenges in identifying individuals who may undergo changes over time despite rigorous background checks and psychological screenings.
Fernandez was booked into Polk County Jail on charges of promotion of a juvenile in a sexual performance, use of a juvenile in a sexual performance, and battery by strangulation, in addition to a slew of other violations.He has not been offered bond.
