Retired Clearwater Police Officer Accused Of Molesting Girl

CLEARWATER, FL — Pinellas County Sheriff's detectives have arrested a retired Clearwater Police officer after he was accused of molesting a girl 12 years old or younger.

Stephen Gregory White, 48, of Basuto Drive in Trinity was charged with lewd and lascivious molestation Wednesday.

The investigation began on March 3 after the victim disclosed the sexual abuse while in a Manatee County hospital. During the investigation, detectives learned of two occasions when White entered the bedroom of the victim, exposed his penis and placed it in her hand while she was sleeping. Detectives said the molestation took place at White's former home in Pinellas County.

Detectives took White into custody Wednesday and charged him with lewd and lascivious molestation at the Pasco County Jail.

White retired in December after serving 22 years as a police officer with the city of Clearwater.

According to the Clearwater Police, White began his career as a Clearwater Police officer on March 12, 2001, and left the agency Nov. 14, 2019. He spent the majority of his career as a patrol officer.

"During his career with the Clearwater Police Department, there was never any indication of this type of complaint against Officer White,'' said Clearwater Police Chief Daniel Slaughter. "We have no knowledge about the case involving the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, but we are disheartened and troubled to hear about these types of allegations involving someone who once worked for our agency."

Slaughter released a copy of White's service record from the Clearwater Police Office of Professional Standards that showed he received commendations for discovering a fire at a business and taking quick action to minimize damage on June 28, 2014, and for taking time to explain the process to a citizen involved in a crash April 27, 2018.

He received the Chief's Unit Citation Feb. 8, 2018, for his work on the department's 2017 traffic enforcement initiative.

There were two complaints in his file — one for inappropriate use of emergency contact information Jan. 22, 2015, and another for failing to provide a doctor's note on March 28, 2018.

If you have any information or have been a victim in this case, you are asked to contact Detective Serena Ghosio at 727-582-6006 or email sghosio@pcsonet.com.