The brother-in-law of failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams was arrested for allegedly trying to pay a 16-year-old girl for sex at a Florida hotel before strangling the teen, according to police.
Jimmie Gardner, 57, whose wife is a federal judge, faces human trafficking charges for the alleged violent and disturbing encounter in a room at the Renaissance Hotel at International Plaza in Tampa around 1:40 a.m. Friday, police said. .
The teen accepted Gardner’s invitation to return to his hotel room and initially agreed to have sex with him in exchange for money, police said.
But the girl later changed her mind, angering Gardner, who ordered her to leave before the two argued, according to police.
The fight escalated and Gardner allegedly grabbed the girl by the neck, cutting off her breathing, police said. Gardner then left the hotel room and the girl called 911.
Jimmie Gardner, 57, was arrested in Tampa on Friday morning, police said. Hillborough County Sheriff’s Office
While police met with the victim at the hotel, Gardner turned himself in at a police station.
He was charged with one felony count of human trafficking for commercial sexual activity with a victim under 18 years of age, one felony count of lewd or lascivious contact of a minor under 16 or 17 years of age by a person 24 years of age or older, and one misdemeanor . battery count.
Gardner was previously convicted in 1987 for the sexual assault of two women in West Virginia, but was exonerated 27 years later in 2016, the 13th Judicial Circuit State’s Attorney’s office told WFLA.
The disturbing encounter took place in a room at the Renaissance Hotel at International Plaza in Tampa around 1:40 a.m. Friday, police said. google maps
In 2018, he married federal judge Leslie Abrams Gardner, sister of two-time unsuccessful Georgia gubernatorial candidate and Democratic activist Stacey Abrams.
“Everyone has the right to the presumption of innocence. Our attorneys will prosecute this case as we would any other criminal alleged to have committed these crimes. We take these charges very seriously,” State Attorney Suzy Lopez told WFLA.
Gardner was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1984, but now “works as a motivational speaker and emotional intelligence coach for students and formerly incarcerated individuals,” officials told the outlet.
On his Instagram page, Gardner describes himself as a “27-year wrongful conviction survivor; social justice advocate; motivational speaker; mentor to at-risk youth;” and a “freedom fighter.”
According to the police, he is being held at the Orient Road Jail.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn