Florida Polytechnic officer stalked, forced relative into having sex with him, deputies say

LAKELAND, Fla. (FOX 13) - The Polk County Sheriff's Office arrested 57-year-old Winfred 'Carl' Stocks, Jr. Thursday after a member of his family came forward with alarming accusations.

The woman said she was sexually abused by Stocks - continuously - dating back to 2012, when she was a child.

"He viciously, he maliciously, he sadistically, extorted her, manipulated her, threatened her and played mind games with her and it was all for sex," said Sheriff Grady Judd with Polk County.

Sheriff Judd said her claims are backed by hundreds of threatening text messages that Stocks sent her during the past six months.

"It makes you violently mad, and angry and ill and sick to your stomach to think anybody would do this to a young lady," said Judd. "When you consider it's a police officer, it makes it doubly bad."

Stocks had previously worked at the Nashville Metro Police Department from 1994 to 2011.

He also served as a police officer at Florida Polytechnic University as a police officer for the past two and a half years. Stocks submitted his resignation to the school at the time of his arrest.

In a statement to FOX 13, the university said:

"We are aware that former Florida Polytechnic University police officer Winfred "Carl" Stocks, Jr. was arrested on several domestic charges. Stocks no longer works for the University Police as he resigned on Thursday, Jan. 10, effective immediately.

"Prior to being employed by Florida Poly, a complete background investigation was conducted by Lakeland Police Department as required by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

"We fully support the Polk County Sheriff's Office and their investigation." 

Stocks' brother-in-law told FOX 13 that he is in shock over the arrest.

"For me right now, this moment, I can't think of anything, because I haven't slept," said Anthony Alexander.

He said the family has been ripped apart. He added that these allegations don't match up to the man they thought they knew.

"We've never seen it. He's always been there with the family taking care of everyone," said Alexander.  "If it's true, then I totally don't know my brother-in-law if that's the case."

The sheriff said that their investigation into these allegations is not over. They believe that this family member was his only victim, however, they're putting out a public plea asking anyone else who may have been victimized by Stocks to be brave and come forward.