Kai Cromer, a 19-year-old sheriff's deputy, was allegedly pressuring teen girls to send him nude photos, authorities said.
On the afternoon of March 4, 19-year-old Kai Cromer was sworn in as an Indian River County Sheriff's deputy in Florida. By that night, a search warrant had been issued for his home.
He has been charged with possession of child pornography, after a female teenager came forward when she saw Cromer on her high school campus during an official visit, authorities said.
"A brave young female came forward” and told deputies that Cromer had been contacting her via Snapchat, asking for naked and topless photos, Sheriff Eric Flowers said during a press conference last week. “She felt very uncomfortable just even seeing him on campus,” the sheriff said.
That same day, investigators searched Cromer's home and cellphone, where they allegedly found sexually explicit photos and videos of other teenage girls, Flowers said.
Three girls were contacted by investigators and allegedly reported they also had been pressured by Cromer to send nude photos or videos to him on Snapchat, Flowers told local reporters.
The four teens are “very concerned for their safety," the sheriff said.
Cromer was released March 5 after posting $15,000 bail, Indian River County Jail records show. He has not entered a plea, and his arraignment is scheduled for May 9, according to court records.
Inside Edition Digital has reached out for comment to Cromer and to his defense attorney.
He was fired as he sat in his jail cell last week, Flowers said.
The sheriff also said he is now considering raising the department's minimum age requirement to 21.
"He was telling people, 'I’m going to be law enforcement, I’m very powerful.' He was forcing these girls, they said they were very uncomfortable with the entire circumstance, and they felt they had no choice but to do these things," Flowers said. "And that’s just completely unacceptable."
