Stephen Bodley was found guilty of sexual battery on a child by a Floridian jury Saturday after he admitted to it during a job interview with the police, State Attorney Andrew Bain said in a press release.
Bodley, a 26-year-old man, confessed to having previously abused his cousin during an interview with the Apopka Police Department, Fox News reported.
Florida man convicted after admitting to heinous crime during job interview to become a police officer https://t.co/KQcgFTVeM0 #FoxNews
— Ilan Hulkower (@IHulkower) May 15, 2024
Bodley’s interview with the police department was on June 16, 2021, the prosecution observed in a press release. “During the examination, the examiner asked Bodley to expand on concerning answers he provided in a pre-test questionnaire. In it, Bodley described sexually abusing a child several years ago. He admitted the same when the examiner asked him to explain further,” the press release read.
Bodley mentioned in his job application that he played “sexual games” with the victim and told his interviewer that she “probably didn’t know what was going on,” the Tampa Bay Times reported. (RELATED:REPORT: Texas Megachurch Sued As Women Allege Church Encourage Sexual Abuse By Pastor)
The police proceeded to open an investigation into the matter and they arrested Bodley after informing the victim’s family of the disclosure, the prosecution noted. The female victim told Florida authorities that the abuse took place over the course of many years, from when Bodley was 14 years old until he was around 19, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
Bodley, despite his previous confessions, denied sexually abusing the child during the trial, the press release said. Bodley’s lawyer attempted to exclude the confessions from the trial but this request was denied, Fox News reported.
Bodley, after his conviction, will be sentenced on June 24, the prosecution said. The judge could order a sentence of life imprisonment, Fox News reported.
