Astatula police sergeant charged with sexual battery, deputies say

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — An Astaula police sergeant has been arrested and charged with capital sexual battery on a child under the age of 12, Lake County deputies said.

Timothy Palinski, 43, was arrested Wednesday, deputies said.

The male victim told a school counselor and school resource officer that Palinski had been sexually abusing him since he was 7 years old, deputies said.

"It was really bothering him emotionally and it got to the point where he needed to tell someone and he wanted it to stop," said John Herrell with the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

The victim took a lie detector test, and deputies said he was visibly shaken and cried at different times during the interview as he recalled the alleged sexual abuse.

The victim described specific details that only the victim and the accused suspect would know, deputies said.

The victim told deputies that he attempted suicide because of the abuse and that Palinski said he would stop the molesting, but didn't, deputies said.

Palinski has been involved with Cub Scouts and served as a Cub master for Pack 254 in Astatula, the sheriff's office and Astatula police chief said. The Boy Scouts told Channel 9's Myrt Price that once they heard about Palinski's arrest, he was removed from any upcoming events.

"It's shocking and disappointing when you see a law enforcement officer breaking the very laws that they themselves are sworn to up hold," Herrell said.

Deputies said they're investigating to determine whether there are other possible victims.

Palinski has been placed on unpaid administrative leave pending the investigation. He has been the police department for 17 years.

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