A Gainesville police officer who recently resigned amid an internal affairs investigation has been charged with two counts of battery for allegedly groping a woman while he was on duty and in uniform.
The charges were filed this week against Steven Carter, 45, who resigned in late September.
"On Dec. 10, two counts of misdemeanor battery were filed. They both allege the same female as the victim," State Attorney Bill Cervone said. "Misdemeanor battery carries up to a year in prison. His being a former officer has no legal ramification with this charge one way or the other. It doesn't change the nature of the charge or the sentence that's available. It's not a factor to us."
Carter, who was hired by GPD in September 2007, likely would have faced being fired by GPD had he not resigned.
Most of the allegations investigated in the internal affairs probe were sustained, including battery, lying on his application, having an inappropriate relationship with a woman, improper use of a police database and sexual harassment of female police trainees, the internal affairs investigation found.
The investigative report states that while working at the Lady Lake Police Department before working at GPD, Carter had sexual activity with a woman while on duty and once put his police gun to his head in front of other employees.
Officer Jeff McAdams, president of the Fraternal Order of Police, said he reviewed the evidence while the investigation was underway and urged Carter to resign.
