Former Jacksonville Beach city attorney banned from practicing law for five years after guilty plea in child abuse
A former Jacksonville Beach city attorney has had his license to practice revoked, after pleading guilty in a child abuse case in Duval County.
Christopher Ambrosio, 51, who lists a Fort Myers address at 5091 Fairfied Drive, pleaded guilty in September to one count of child abuse, according to the Florida Supreme Court.
According to the Jacksonville Times-Union, Ambrosio resigned weeks after his March 24, 2021 arrest on charges of lewd and lascivious molestation of a victim 12 to 16 years old and contributing to the delinquency of a child.
He received five years of probation and sex offender conditions, the State Attorney's Office said. The sex charge was refiled on Aug. 30 as third-degree felony child abuse, while the delinquency charge was dropped.
The conditions against Ambrosio, 51, include no contact with the victim or other minors, therapy and submitting his DNA sample to law enforcement, according to the Times-Union. His name will not be placed on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's child sex offender list, prosecutors said.
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His Atlantic Beach arrest report indicates he was a friend of the victim's family, visited her home and had "hung out" with her alone on several occasions. In a Feb. 19 text exchange with Ambrosio, the girl was invited for "a sleepover," the report said.
The two went to a gym about a month before his arrest, then got some alcoholic beverages before going to his Seminole Road home, the report said. When the girl took a bath, the suspect said to keep the door unlocked. She felt uneasy and put on a bathing suit before getting into the bathtub.
While she was in the bathroom, Ambrosio walked in and offered her an alcoholic beverage, which according to the report she didn't drink, and sat on the toilet seat to talk with her.
She felt uneasy and walked away, and Ambrosio told her to go try on her other bathing suit and show it to him, the report says.
The victim walked into the bathroom wearing the new swimsuit, the lights turned off this time.
Ambrosio had taken his clothes off and was in the bathtub, the report says, while he attempted to pull the victim's suit down. He then rubbed the minor's privates.
She then ran to the bedroom, locked herself and texted her relative to come pick her up, the report says. She told Ambrosio, who sat in the living room, she had a stomach ache and was leaving.
A family member or friend confronted Ambrosio again, threatening to go to the police. Ambrosio said he would go and spoke with investigators, identifying himself as Jacksonville Beach's city attorney and knowing "lots of police," the report said.
Ambrosio told authorities he had confronted the minor over a "mess" created in the bathroom.
Ambrosio said he couldn't remember whether he was naked when the victim saw him.
He alleged the victim had been manipulating him for two years. Additionally, Ambrosio told authorities he thought the minor had a crush on him, the report indicates
The investigation was passed to the Atlantic Beach Police Department, who made the arrest.
Ambrosio, admitted to practice in Florida in 2005, faces a five-year ban from the Florida Bar, which began Sept. 19, records indicate. The disciplinary revocation with leave allows him to seek readmission, effective Dec. 12, 2022.
The Jacksonville Times-Union contributed to this report
Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Twitter @TomasFRoBeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran and Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Former Jacksonville Beach city attorney banned from practicing law
