POLK COUNTY, Fla. — A deputy in Okaloosa County, Florida was arrested in Polk County on Wednesday for allegedly soliciting sex from a 9-year-old Winter Haven girl, according to law enforcement officials.
- Okaloosa deputy charged with soliciting a minor for sex
- Deputy Cansas Sadler arrested in Polk County
- Sadler accused of sending porn, sexual messages to young Winter Haven girl
Cansas Sadler Jr., 41, faces charges by both the Okaloosa and Polk County Sheriff's Office and has been terminated from his position with the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office began investigating Sadler on June 11 after a mother reported finding inappropriate material on her daughter's cell phone.
According to Polk County officials, Sadler messaged the victim through an online interactive mobile game called, "The Wolf," where he portrayed himself as an 11-year-old girl named Jade and an adult male named Jason, in an attempt to manipulate the victim into sending nude photos of herself and to meet up for a sexual encounter.
The communication lasted from the morning of June 8 through the afternoon of June 9. During that time, officials said Sadler sent the young girl three pornographic images and several sexually explicit messages.
Detectives traced the communication to a computer IP address at Sadler's home in Okaloosa County.
Officials said Sadler joined the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office in July of last year after retiring from the U.S. Army and was still on new-hire probationary status.
“I’m always disheartened when someone sworn to serve and protect commits any crime, much less crimes of this nature,” said Sheriff Larry Ashley.
The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office has charged Sadler with using a computer to solicit a child while misrepresenting age, an additional count of using a computer to solicit a child, and using a two way communications device to facilitate a felony.
In Polk County, he has been charged with multiple counts of transmission of material harmful to a minor by electronic device.
Officials also noted that Sadler has been married since 2002 and has two children.