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A Winter Haven police officer has resigned after being arrested for having sex with a minor.
Deputies with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested 39-year-old William Kenna around 6:30 a.m. Saturday. The Winter Haven Police Department says Kenna had sexual intercourse with a 17-year-old girl.
Police say they were contacted around 1:30 a.m. about the possible relationship between Kenna and the teen. Responding officers found the two in a room alone. Both denied any sexual act had occurred at the time.
According to an affidavit, the teen said she and Kenna had known each other for about a year and a half and would talk about personal problems and turn to each other for advice.
She says about four months ago the two were at his home in Winter Haven and had consensual sex, according to the report.
Kenna told deputies he and the victim only had sex once.
Kenna resigned from the police department immediately. He was hired in June 2012 as a police officer and obtained reclassification in July 2015.
“Our officers are expected to conduct themselves with honor and dignity and provide professional service to our citizens,” Chief Charlie Bird said in a news release. “The decision Kenna made goes against everything the men and women of our agency stand for.”
Kenna was taken to the Polk County Jail and faces one count of sexual activity with a victim 16 or 17.