A well-known Pinellas County lawyer has been arrested on lewd and lascivious molestation of a child.
Clearwater police said Robert Leon Tankel, 57, inappropriately touched a child under 12 during a Big Brothers Big Sisters event on June 17 in Clearwater.
According to an arrest report, Tankel touched the genital area of the boy over the boy's clothing and also rubbed the boy's thigh.
Tankel had his first appearance in Pinellas County judge on Wednesday. He had a team of three lawyers representing him.
His wife and one of his three grown children were in attendance.
Police said Tankel was mentoring the boy through Big Brothers Big Sisters and took him to a baseball game. However, Tankel's attorneys say Clearwater Police are wrong and that Tankel wasn't the Big Brother to the boy.
His attorneys say the actual Big Brother will testify to Tankel's behavior at the baseball game.
As an attorney, Tankel often represents homeowner associations.
The Florida Bar suspended him for two weeks in 2003, saying he harassed a group of former Tarpon Springs HOA members.
Tankel's attorney says his client's name will be cleared once all the facts come out.
"This is worse than a huge mistake," said defense attorney, Todd Foster.
The CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters Pinellas could not comment on Tankel's history as a Big Brother, but she released a statement that said in part:
"Big Brothers Big Sisters makes child safety our priority. We have zero tolerance for abuse or exploitation of any kind."
"The independent witness who was there did not see anything inappropriate," said Foster.
Tankel remains in jail until at least Friday. A judge will then decide if bond will be set.