Lake Wales Florida Police Officer Det. Robert Hendrix Charged After Seeking Sex With A Child
May 12th, 2008
LAKE WALES, FLORIDA - A Lake Wales police detective was arrested Thursday night on charges that he used the Internet to entice a former juvenile police cadet to have sex, according to police officials.
Robert Hendrix, 24, was charged following an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, according to Lake Wales Police Chief Herbert Gillis. He was immediately suspended without pay. The exact charges were unavailable as of Thursday night.
Gillis said there is also an ongoing investigation involving a fire that destroyed Hendrix’s house in October. At the time, Hendrix, who was a detective in the street crimes unit, said he returned home to find someone had spray-painted gang graffiti inside his garage.
Shortly after midnight the fire was started, apparently in the garage area, Kevin Shireman of the State Fire Marshal’s Office has said. Shireman said the fire was “classified as an arson.”
Hendrix was reassigned to administrative duty.
On Thursday he was placed on administrative leave without pay pending the completion of the criminal and internal investigations. Hendrix was hired by the City of Lake Wales on Jan. 26, 2004, and is paid $39,574 annually. He was assigned to the Investigations Division.
Hendrix is currently in the Polk County Jail awaiting his first court appearance. His bail amount was unavailable late Thursday.
