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Man Convicted Of Plan To Abuse Boys

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By ELAINE SILVESTRINI

esilvestrini@tampatrib.com

Published: December 17, 2008

TAMPA - A 78-year-old mental health therapist faces up to life in prison after being convicted Tuesday of a federal charge that he drove to the Tampa area to sexually and physically abuse two boys he thought would be made available by their father.

Charles Friedlander was led away to jail in a wheelchair. "We're very disappointed and working on the appeal immediately," said his attorney, George Tragos.

Friedlander, a licensed mental health therapist, is accused of driving from Fort Myers to Pinellas County to meet a man he thought was a father who would let him beat and have sex with his boys, ages 10 and 11. The prosecution said Friedlander began an online conversation with an undercover detective he thought shared his interest in sexual gratification through the sexual abuse and beating of young children.

Tragos told jurors in closing arguments Monday that the defendant was merely fantasizing and had no intention of abusing any children.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Kaiser said Friedlander was not just fantasizing. She showed jurors items found in Friedlander's car when he was arrested, including a razor strop and a riding crop.

Judge James D. Whittemore scheduled sentencing for March 16.

7 Local Churches Robbed In Spree

ST. PETERSBURG - This time of year it's not unusual to turn to a church for help, but St. Petersburg police say burglars are targeting churches for fast cash.

In the past six weeks, robbers broke into churches seven times, making off with cash and expensive electronics, police said.

All the churches are clustered on the west side of St. Petersburg, within 15 blocks of Central Avenue and 49th Street.

At least one church, Elim Seventh-day Adventist Church, was hit twice, detectives said. In most cases, the burglars have been striking on weekend nights, entering through windows or back doors.

The most recent break-in was Wednesday evening at Trinity United Church of Christ. The burglars climbed a black iron gate securing the church courtyard, chopped through the lock of the office door and ransacked the room.

8 Arrested After School Melee

Eight students were arrested after a fight at Dunedin High School on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

Five were charged with disorderly conduct; the other three were charged with obstruction after they tried to interfere with a follow-up investigation, sheriff's officials said. All were male freshmen or sophomores.

The fight began about 1:15 p.m., shortly after school let out, sheriff's authorities said. The school is at 1651 Pinehurst Road, and the fight was in a common area known as Senior Park, sheriff's authorities said.

Initially only two students were involved; then two others jumped in, deputies said. Up to 15 eventually were involved. More than 300 students watched.

Two school resource officers responded but had to call for backup. As the deputies broke up the individual fights, one released pepper foam toward one of the students, sheriff's spokeswoman Cecilia Barreda said. That student was taken to a hospital to ensure he was OK, she said.

A second student, one who joined the fray early, was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries that were not life-threatening.

Citrus Leads Plane Probe

The Citrus County Sheriff's Office is taking the lead in the investigation into the disappearance of a small plane off the coast of Homosassa.

The agency said it will be responsible for releasing the identity of the remains found in the Gulf of Mexico last week.

An aircraft carrying Darien Peckham of Tampa and Zachary Schlitt of West Palm Beach crashed into the Gulf on Nov. 30.

The two men were on a flight from Tallahassee to Vandenberg Airport in Tampa when their small aircraft crashed about 20 miles southwest of Yankeetown in Levy County. The Coast Guard eventually suspended its search for the men, but a body was later found by a boater, a sheriff's office spokeswoman said.

Peckham, 35, was a nuclear medicine technologist from Harbour Island. Schlitt, 28, worked for Boos Development Group.

Woman Misused 911, Police Say

A Brandon woman was arrested Tuesday morning after calling 911 multiple times to report a noise complaint, Hillsborough County deputies say.

Mary Odom, 38, was arrested about 1:30 a.m. and charged with misuse of 911.

She has been released on $500 bail, records state.

Cause Of Fire Can't Be Found

Investigators say a fire that displaced more than 59 people at an apartment complex Saturday wasn't deliberately set, but they were unable to determine the cause.

The blaze occurred at the Windermere Lakes apartments at 9474 Windermere Lake Drive.

Forty adults and 19 children were helped by the American Red Cross.

Two other families had planned to stay with friends and family.

A staff report

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