A police officer employed by Florida Polytechnic University in Lakeland has been arrested for sexual battery, extortion and aggravated stalking of a family member, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Winfred “Carl” Stocks, Jr., 57, was arrested on January 10, 2019. Stocks also submitted his resignation from the university at the time of his arrest.
On January 9, 2019 a female victim approached a deputy and told the deputy what Stocks had allegedly been doing to her since the fall of 2012.
The victim showed the deputy hundreds of text messages from the past six months that showed Stocks controlling and influencing her with intimidation, isolation and humiliation, according to a press release from the sheriff’s office.
Stocks used force or violence likely to cause serious personal injury to sexually batter the woman, according to the arrest affidavit. Stocks verbally and by written communication, maliciously threatened the victim into having sex with him by threatening to publicly share nude photos of her, which he took without her knowledge.
The victim told deputies that Stocks repeatedly harassed and cyber stalked her through text messages, The Tampa Bay Times reports.
Sheriff Grady Judd released a statement saying:
“Carl Stocks betrayed this woman, and he betrayed his oath as a police officer to protect people. He systematically controlled the victim by maliciously stalking, threatening, and both verbally and physically controlling her for sex.”
Stocks was employed by Florida Polytech University for approximately two years. The school released the following statement on Friday:
“We are aware that former Florida Polytechnic University police officer Winfred “Carl” Stocks, Jr. was arrested on several domestic charges. Stocks no longer works for the University Police as he resigned on Thursday, Jan. 10, effective immediately. Prior to being employed by Florida Poly, a complete background investigation was conducted by Lakeland Police Department as required by Florida Department of Law Enforcement. We fully support the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and their investigation.”
Stocks had previously retired from the Nashville Metro Police Department which he was employed from 1994 to 2011.