Tampa, FL - The spokesman for Florida’s Department of Children and Families was charged Friday with eight counts of using a child in a sexual performance. Al Zimmerman, 40, is accused of abusing two teenage boys, ages 16 and 17, and authorities believe there may be more teenaged victims. One victim met Zimmerman through the DCF, and the agency admits that the boy was in foster care under their supervision at the time of the abuse.
The Florida Department of Children and Families did not require fingerprinting of employees at the time Zimmerman was hired as their spokesperson. Zimmerman, a former television journalist in the Tampa Bay area, was hired by DCF in 2005. None of his former employers were contacted, probably because one of his “glowing” references was from Florida Governor Charlie Crist, who was then the state’s attorney general.
Authorities say that they believe Zimmerman was distributing the photographs he took of the two teenagers posing naked and masturbating. His arrest report says he offered the victims money for the photographs. The boys were underage when the crimes happened between December 2005 and last Friday. Police say that Zimmerman may have victimized more children based on interviews with witnesses and victims, one of whom contacted the police last week.
Here’s Al’s cached Myspace page, which has since been deleted. I bet Gov. Crist is so proud.
Tags: Al Zimmerman, Florida DCF, Gov. Charlie Crist
Drink the Kool-Aid