RIVERVIEW – A Riverview man was arrested in Illinois in December on charges of predatory criminal sexual assault and multiple counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a victim under the age of 13, according to local information. news reports.
Now, local agencies are seeking permission in Hillsborough District Court to search the home of Elijah Sowers, 24, for digital devices that may contain evidence of similar crimes in Florida.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office received a tip in April that a “pornographic photo” had been uploaded to a Snapchat account linked to Sowers. A further investigation revealed multiple inappropriate photos of young children on another account owned by Sowers, the Sheriff’s Office described in a search warrant petition.
The owner of Bayside Sports Academy, a children’s gymnastics gym in St. Petersburg, said Sowers taught two tumbling classes for children ages six and up. He worked there as well as with the City of Tampa as Environmental Technician, until his arrest.
“Everyone loved him while he was here and there were no complaints,” said Shell Tatro, the owner of Bayside Sports Academy. “Looking back, I can’t think of a single red flag to suggest that he was that kind of man.”
The planters, like all gym employees, had to be fingerprinted and pass a background check before being hired, said Tatro, 45. He had no criminal record, was enthusiastic about the job, and had a work schedule that allowed him to teach. night classes.
That made Sowers a perfect fit at the time, Tatro said, so he was hired. He survived the temporary layoffs brought on by the coronavirus pandemic and befriended the academy staff.
Tatro said he worked with agents from Hillsborough and Pinellas counties related to the investigation. To date, there have been no indications that Sowers had an inappropriate relationship with any children at Bayside Sports Academy, he said.
The gym has an open floor plan that allows parents to keep an eye on their children throughout practice, Tatro said, so Sowers didn’t get a chance to be alone with the kids. The building also has one-person bathrooms.
It is a requirement that there are always two adults present with students at all times, Tatro said.
“We’ve done everything we can to make it impossible for something like what he did in Illinois to happen here,” Tatro said. “After discovering his arrest and charges, I told my staff, ‘That’s why we do what we do. You never know who the people really are. ‘
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