Gabrielle Russon
Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Fort Pierce City Commissioner James Taylor after the city official was arrested and accused of sending sexually explicit images to a 12-year-old girl.
“It is in the best interest of the residents of the city of Fort Pierce, and the citizens of the State of Florida, that James A. Taylor be immediately suspended from the public office which he now holds upon the grounds set forth in this Executive Order,” DeSantis wrote in the order signed Monday.
The suspension from serving public office is from “today until a further Executive Order is issued or otherwise provided by law,” the order said.
DeSantis’ executive order, however, appeared to be a moot point.
According to media reports, Taylor actually submitted his official letter of resignation that same day while he was being held in jail on a $360,000 bond.
Rep. Toby Overdorf, who had been among a growing number of leaders calling for Taylor to be kicked out of office, praised DeSantis for the executive order.
“Thank you @GovRonDeSantis for removing this predator and not allowing him to remain in office one more minute,” Overdorf, a Palm City Republican, wrote on X.
Taylor was arrested July 24 and charged with 24 felonies related to the use of electronic communication to exploit or solicit minors for sexual purposes, according to the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office.
“The investigation began in August 2024 when a Police Department in Illinois received a report from the mother of a 13-year-old girl. The mother advised that her daughter, who was only 12 years old when the communications began, had been contacted by an adult male via Snapchat,” the Sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post. “Over time, the conversations became sexually explicit, and the suspect allegedly sent multiple nude images to the minor. Following a preliminary investigation, Illinois Police detectives traced the suspect’s online activity to St. Lucie County, Florida.”
