- Jimmie Gardner, 57, was taken into custody by Tampa police on Friday for allegedly having sex with a 16-year-old girl in Florida
- He is accused of meeting the minor at 1:43 a.m. and inviting her to his room at the Renaissance Hotel at International Plaza before offering her money for sex
- Gardner, who married U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams in 2018 Gardner, the sister of former Georgia politician Abrams, is in the Hillsborough County Jail without bond
The brother-in-law of former Georgia State House of Representatives member Stacey Abrams has been arrested on human trafficking charges.
Jimmie Gardner, 57, was taken into custody Friday by Tampa police for allegedly having sex with a 16-year-old girl in Florida, where the age of consent is 18.
He is accused of meeting the minor at 1:43 a.m. and inviting her to his room at the Renaissance Hotel at International Plaza before offering her money for sex.
Authorities allege Gardner grabbed her by the throat and began choking her after she refused to sleep with him and the victim called 911. He left the hotel by the time police arrived, but they discovered the young girl at the scene.
Gardner, who married U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams in 2018 Gardner, the sister of former Georgian politician Abrams, is being held in the Hillsborough County Jail without bond. He is scheduled to appear in court in Tampa on Saturday.
Jimmie Gardner, 57, the brother-in-law of former U.S. Rep. Stacey Abrams, has been arrested over human trafficking claims
He was taken into custody by Tampa police on Friday for allegedly having sex with a 16-year-old girl in Florida. He is accused of meeting the minor at 1:43 a.m. and inviting her to his room at the Renaissance Hotel at International Plaza (pictured) before offering her money for sex
Gardner, who married the sister of former Georgia politician Abrams (pictured) in 2018, is in the Hillsborough County Jail without bond
The minor told Tampa police that Gardner offered her money for sex acts to which she agreed before changing her mind.
Officials claimed the pair then got into a verbal argument after he told her to leave his hotel room, but it quickly escalated into a physical altercation where he grabbed her by the throat and she struggled to breathe.
“The victim initially agreed, but later told Gardner she no longer wanted to participate and he became angry,” a police statement said.
Gardner told the victim to leave his hotel room.
“The two became involved in a verbal altercation that escalated into a physical dispute after Gardner placed his hands around the victim’s neck, restricting her breathing.
“After the argument, Gardner left the hotel room and the victim called 911.”
When police arrived at the hotel, Gardner had left, but officers found the victim still at the scene.
Authorities said the suspect reported to the Tampa Police District 1 Office and was arrested on charges of human trafficking for commercial sexual activity, lewd or lascivious touching of a minor 16 or 17 years of age by someone over 24 years of age and a misdemeanor count of battery.
Gardner married Georgia judge Leslie Abrams Gardner (photo) in 2018. She is the sister of former U.S. Representative Abrams, who served from 2007 to 2017.
The Office of the State Attorney of the 13th Judicial Circuit said Gardner was previously convicted of sexually assaulting two women in West Virginia in 1987, but he was exonerated in 2016 after serving more than 25 years in prison.
He received a $3 million settlement from the state and settled with the Charleston Police Department in March 2019 for $175,000.
‘Everyone has the right to the presumption of innocence. Our attorneys will prosecute this case as we would prosecute any other perpetrator alleged to have committed these crimes,” said State’s Attorney Suzy Lopez.
“We take these allegations very seriously.”
Gardner, who was previously drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1984, married District Judge Leslie in 2018.
She is the sister of former Georgia state representative Abrams, who served from 2007 to 2017.
Abrams ruled to run for governor in 2022. Abrams nearly won the governor’s race, but was defeated in a narrow victory by Republican Brian Kemp.
Gardner lives and works in Georgia, where he served as a motivational speaker and emotional intelligence trainer for students of those previously incardinated.
DailyMail.com has contacted the Tampa Police Department for comment.