Charlotte County deputy accused of soliciting a minor confessed to the crime

A Charlotte County Sheriff’s deputy arrested on Valentine’s Day for soliciting what he believed to be a minor confessed to the crime, an arrest report shows.

Martin Allen told the Charlotte County Sheriff’s office he knew what he was doing was illegal, but said: “he was missing a relationship in his life and was sorry for what he had done.”

Details from Martin Allen’s arrest affidavit show the interaction between him and the girl happened while he was on duty.

Allen began communicating with the girl after he found her profile on Tinder. Allen then found the girl’s Instagram profile and began chatting with her there on April 10, 2020.

She asked how old he was, he said 39. She told him she was 15. Though Allen believed he was speaking to a 15-year-old girl, he was actually speaking with a man, who purportedly pretends to be underaged to help law enforcement catch predators.

When the man realized he was speaking to a sheriff’s deputy, he contacted the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office who took over the girl’s account and began communicating with Allen on Feb. 11.

Allen told the girl about working a DUI operation and his goal of getting back into the traffic unit to become a supervisor. He also said he dreamt about having a girl to cuddle with.

He then asked the girl to send him photos of her in the shower.

Allen attempted to video chat with the girl while he was on duty. The girl told him her phone was unable to video chat so Allen offered her his old iPhone.

They made a plan to meet at a Walmart on the corner of Sumter Boulevard and Tamiami Trail in Sarasota County. Allen drove there in his patrol car. Photographs were taken of his patrol car driving in front of the store.

After the sting, Allen was contacted by his supervisor and asked to return to his assigned district where he was interviewed.

Allen admitted he reached out to the girl after finding her on Tinder. He knew she was 15, but continued with the conversation. He confessed to discussing the possibility of the 15-year-old moving in with him and the possibility of taking nude photographs of her.

Allen has been placed on administrative leave without pay, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.

Allen is accused of lewd lascivious conduct by a person 18 years of age or older. Allen was released from Charlotte County Jail. He is scheduled for arraignment on March. 29.