Both the Florida attorney general and a local sheriff’s department suggest they will not move to prosecute former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) after the House Ethics Committee released a report which concluded that the former lawmaker violated multiple state laws related to sexual misconduct while in office.
The report found “substantial evidence” that Gaetz violated statutory rape law and engaged in a broader pattern of paying women for sex, including once with a 17-year-old girl during a party at lobbyist Chris Dorworth’s house in Seminole County, Florida.
Under Florida law, if a person who is 24 or older engages in sexual activity with a person who is 16 or 17, he or she commits a second-degree felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
But, both the Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office and Seminole County Sheriff indicated they were unlikely to pursue criminal charges against Gaetz.
“Allegations of violations of state criminal law would be investigated by law enforcement in the appropriate jurisdiction, such as a local police department, sheriff’s office or the Florida Department of Law Enforcement,” Moody’s office told a local reporter when asked about potential charges being brought against Gaetz.
“To determine if the agencies in the relevant jurisdictions have received information from the House Ethics Committee or have initiated investigations, you would need to contact those law enforcement agencies directly,” it continued. “Single-circuit crimes would be prosecuted by the state attorney where the crime occurred.”
The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), which would have jurisdiction, also said they will not charge Gaetz because the statute of limitations has expired.
“The SCSO is committed to investigating criminal activity, but an investigation can only begin when there is a victim or direct knowledge of a crime. This requires a sworn statement or affidavit from the victim outlining the alleged crime or information that warrants further investigation. No victim in the sexual activity allegation is known to the SCSO or has come forward with allegations relating to this report,” the sheriff’s office said.
The statement continued: “By the time federal investigators had a verbal conversation with the SCSO regarding their findings and decision not to pursue federal charges, the state’s statute of limitations had long expired. Since the statute of limitations for these alleged crimes has expired and no victim or sworn affidavit has been provided, we are unable to conduct an independent investigation, regardless of the findings from the House of Representatives Committee on Ethics.”
