JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Palatka man is in custody after the Putnam County Sheriff's Office say he abused two children over a two-year period.
Tony McKenzie, 47, is charged with two counts of sexual assault on a child less than 12 years of age by a suspect 18 years or older, one count of molestation of a child 12 to 16 years old and one count of lewd and lascivious battery.
Detectives were notified of possible sexual abuse case when one child was being interviewed by the child protection team in April, a release from the sheriff's office said. The child told investigators McKenzie had sexually touched the victim and caused bleeding. The victim said the abuse started in 2021 and continued until December 2023, according to the agency.
The release said McKenzie was an adult trusted by family members.
The other child told detectives that McKenzie had touched private parts and caused “pain,” the sheriff's office said. The other child disclosed being related to McKenzie, the agency said, and did not disclose the abuse to other family members because of fear of retaliation.
On May 17, detectives obtained a warrant for McKenzie’s arrest. McKenzie contacted detectives after he fled to Ohio, the sheriff's office said. He was detained by Whitehall Police department officers in Ohio on June 2. He is currently in the Putnam County Jail on no bond.
The sheriff's office is not releasing the age and sex of the victims.
“This is a further testament to how far we will go to bring these predators to justice,” Sheriff Gator DeLoach said in the release. “They can run, they can try to hide, but we will find them. No child should have to live in fear and we hope these children will recover eventually from their abuse. The nightmare is now in jail.”
