Doctor Coached Teens to Produce Sexual Material, 'Hang Themselves' While He Watched: US Attorney

Stephen Leedy, 59, of St. Petersburg, who worked in Tampa as a palliative care doctor, was arrested on December 20 and has been charged with three counts of production of child sexual abuse material and two counts of coercing or enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida.

If convicted on all five counts, Leedy faces a maximum penalty of life in a federal prison.

Prosecutors believe that Leedy operated online under the username "maximumuncle#9112," where they say he sexually exploited approximately 10 minors online, including conversations of a sexual nature and video chats.

According to the press release, "Leedy instructed the minors to produce sexually explicit images of themselves and directed them to cut, choke, and hang themselves."

These alleged behaviors, per the U.S. Attorney's Office, led to the ultimate tragedy in the case of one victim, a 13-year-old girl found deceased in her bathroom in November 2021.

In their motion to detain Leedy, prosecutors claimed the victim was found "hanging from the shower head" with her phone "propped up on the bathtub directly in front of her" on November 16, per the Miami Herald.

The U.S Attorney's Office press release noted she had "hanged herself in front of her phone in a manner consistent with instructions Leedy had previously provided her."

Those purported instructions, per the Herald, included that she "choke herself using a dog leash," which is what was around her neck when she was found. She was also reportedly encouraged to engage in "daily hangings."

Additionally, investigators found sexual conversations with username "maximumuncle#9112" on the victim's phone, per the Herald. The suspect also allegedly directed this victim, per prosecutors, as well as nine others, "to produce child pornography while on video calls with him to satisfy his own sexual deviant interest in children."

In their motion, prosecutors said that they have "extremely strong" evidence against the doctor, even though "maximumuncle#9112" never revealed his identity to his alleged victims, hiding behind a black screen and "anonymity" while communicating with them online.

"Law enforcement confirmed Leedy's ownership over the account used to encourage minors to engage in sadistic and sexual behavior," the detention motion stated.

"The conversations continually revolved around his control over the minor victim, commenting on how 'obedient' they are and asking at least one minor victim to refer to him as ‘my Lord,'" prosecutors stated.

"Everything that Leedy instructed these minor victims to do was either physically or mentally detrimental," wrote prosecutors in their court filing, per the Herald. "He had absolutely no (regard) for their safety and took advantage of children more than half his age to gratify himself."

In a statement dated January 7 to McClatchy News, as reported by the Herald, Leedy's attorneys Bjorn Brunvand and Lucas Fleming said their client "adamantly denies the charges that have been filed against him in federal court."

The duo added, "It is particularly important in moments like this when someone is being accused of very troubling allegations, that we afford him the presumption of innocence." They noted they "will be entering a not guilty plea at the earliest opportunity and look forward to vigorously defending Dr. Leedy in court."

The Herald notes that Leedy's medical license remains active in the State of Florida and no disciplinary records or public complaints are listed as of January 7.

The suspect's wife, Lynda Leedy, works as the chief administrative officer of the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County.

In a statement released after the allegations, the board's CEO Beth Houghton told ABC affiliate WFTS, "Ms. Leedy is a valued member of JWB’s Executive Leadership Team, where she holds herself and others to the highest standards of ethical and professional behavior and possesses impeccable integrity."

"While this news leaves us stunned and saddened for Ms. Leedy, her family, and any potential victims in this case," she continued, "I have the utmost confidence in her ability to continue to carry out JWB’s mission of strengthening the lives of our county’s children and families."

As of January 7, Leedy was being held in a federal prison in Atlanta after having been picked up by police in Georgia. He is awaiting extradition to Florida, per court records.