For Immediate Release
October 8, 2021
 
SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. – Gerard Stellwagen, 80, of Nokomis turned himself in pursuant to an FDLE warrant on 10 counts of possession of child sexual abuse material in violation of Florida Statute 827.071(5)(a), a third-degree felony. Special agents with FDLE’s Fort Myers Cyber Squad investigated the case.

On September 29, agents with FDLE and Homeland Security Investigations, Sarasota Field Office, served a search warrant at Stellwagen’s residence and found a desktop computer in his office that contained videos and images of children involved in sexual acts.  Because of the severity of the sexual battery of children depicted in the images, each count qualifies to be enhanced to second-degree felonies based on F.S. 775.0847(2)(a)(b).
Stellwagen was booked into the Sarasota County Jail. The case will be prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney, 12th Judicial Circuit.

This investigation is active.  If you have information about Gerard Stellwagen that may help investigators, please contact FDLE Fort Myers at 800-407-4880.

Please visit the FDLE website to review tips for keeping your children safe online at:
https://www.secureflorida.org/SF/Family-Safety/BPParents.

For Further Information Contact:
FDLE Office of Public Information
(850) 410-7001