Oldsmar Man Arrested For Sexually Battery Takes Life In Jail

CLEARWATER, FL -- A former sheriff’s deputy for Charles County, Maryland, apparently committed suicide in his jail cell Thursday, July 5, four days after his arrest for sexual battery on a 10-year-old girl.

Pinellas County Sheriff's detectives arrested Christopher Wayne Stufft, 49, on Sunday, July 1, after the girl's mother contacted the sheriff's office. (See related story.)

According to the arrest report, the victim and her mother, who has been dating Stufft for a short time, visited his home on Countryside Key Boulevard, Oldsmar, on Friday to watch a movie.

The 10-year-old had fallen asleep on the couch and the mother walked outside to smoke a cigarette. During the few minutes she was gone, she said Stufft sexually battered her daughter and took explicit photos of her with his cell phone.

When the mother came back into the house, the girl discreetly told her what occurred. They promptly left Stufft's home and the mother called the sheriff's office.

When detectives questioned Stufft, he admitted to having the victim and her mother over at his home to watch movies but denied inappropriately touching her.

However, through various investigative techniques, detectives said they confirmed the sexual battery occurred.

Stufft was booked into the Pinellas County Jail, 1440 49th St. N., Clearwater, to face a charge of sexual battery on a child under 12 years of age.

He was still being held in jail in lieu of a $150,000 bond when he was found dead in his cell at 8:29 a.m. Thursday, July 5. According to the sheriff’s office, he used items in his cell to create a makeshift ligature. Medical staff performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation and paramedics arrived and continued life-saving measures. However, Stufft was pronounced dead at 8:47 a.m.

Stufft, a Maryland sheriff’s deputy from 2004 to 2009, had no criminal history.

Image via Pinellas Sheriff

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