A Florida lawyer was arrested after being caught with his pants down, mid-sex act with an inmate, investigators say.
Now officials say they believe it wasn't the first time Andrew Spark had engaged in sexual acts with inmates, with investigators saying the attorney was paying women $30 to $40 per session and filming some of his encounters on a iPad.
Spark, 54, was busted in a private visitation room Sunday with a female inmate at the Pinellas County Jail.
Deputies arrested him for reportedly soliciting sex and having sexual contact with inmates at the Pinellas County Jail.
He’s accused of using his position as an attorney to gain private access to female inmates who he wasn’t representing in different facilities across the Tampa Bay area and central Florida, investigators say.
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said Spark recorded videos of the encounters and is believed to have published the content online.
Gualtieri said attorneys are the only people allowed to bring electronics into the jail with the understanding that the devices will be used for work with clients.
U.S. & World
Deputies were tipped off prior to Spark’s recent visit Sunday and wired a visitation room before he saw inmate Antoinette Rose Napolitano, Gualtireri said.
Spark is accused of having had sexual encounters with Napolitano in visitation rooms from June up until Sunday.
Spark would offer money in exchange for sex, the sheriff said.
Gualtieri said records show several deposits to Napolitano’s accounts from Spark, ranging in the amounts of $30 to $40, and sometimes less.
Investigators were unsure of the exact number of inmates involved, but they knew of another incident where they believe Spark approached an inmate he previously met at a pornography convention.
Gualtieri said that inmate turned down Spark’s offer to make a sex video in the visitation room.
Spark was later released from jail and responded to the accusations via text message saying he was planning to release a statement.
There were no plans to change operation procedure at the jail the women who were involved with Spark would not be charged, the sheriff said.
Pinellas County criminal defense attorney John Trevena said the case was "unbelievable".
"I mean it is truly a new low for the legal profession," he said. “To think that something like that is going on with a licensed attorney who is supposed to be there defending someone.”
Investigators were waiting for a warrant to get into Spark’s iPad. They hoped to find out the number of videos and websites where the content was believed to have been published.
