Stephen Roland Bodley (inset center) in a mug shot at Orange County Jail; Apopka Police Department cars (Apopka Police Department)
A Florida A man attempted to become a police officer, but his application was rejected. He ended up in jail after confessing during questioning that he abused a young girl by playing sexual games when he was a teenager.
Stephen Roland Bodley's disastrous job interview with the Apopka Police Department took place in June 2021, and it resulted in his conviction for a serious felony at a jury trial in Orange County last Wednesday.
The office of 9th Judicial Circuit State Attorney Andrew Bain said stated that Bodley, who is now 26, was found guilty of sexually assaulting a child under 12 years old when he was under 18. Bodley was convicted mainly based on his own previous admissions, despite denying the abuse during his testimony at the trial.
“On June 16, 2021, Bodley was in a job interview at the Apopka Police Department for a sworn police officer position. The examiner conducting the voice stress analysis examination asked Bodley to elaborate on concerning answers he had provided in a pre-test questionnaire,” prosecutors said. “He described sexually abusing a child several years ago and admitted it when asked to explain further.”
Authorities said Bodley admitted to sexually abusing the victim on three separate occasions.
An affidavit supporting Bodley's arrest warrant detailed that the abuse occurred between the beginning of 2012 and the end of 2016.
Before the “Voice Stress” exam, Bodley had filled out a written questionnaire asking if he had “ever sexually assaulted anyone.” He answered yes, and added that the assaults took place at his Apopka home.
The affidavit stated, “Defendant Bodley wrote that when he was 12-13 years old, he played sex games with [redacted] and she didn't fully understand what was happening. I inquired further and he explained, ‘I used to play these sexual games with my little [redacted], and I know she didn't fully understand what was going on because I used to watch a lot of porn when I was younger.'”
The series of admissions was shocking, but Bodley didn't stop there.
“Detective Landry asked Defendant Bodley to clarify what sex games meant. Defendant Bodley stated he pulled his penis out, then he switched to explain the first time it happened was an ‘accident.' He went on to say that he used to play the game with her ‘all the time.'
It is even more surprising that Bodley clearly said he knew what he was doing and the 9- or 10-year-old victim did not.
The affidavit continued to say that Bodley mentioned he knew what was happening but the girl probably didn't understand, and that's why he did it. He believed the girl was 9 or 10 years old at the time, not much younger than him, and he thought it happened around 3 times.
Police said they contacted the victim's mother who confirmed she knew Bodley since he was a baby.
According to court documents, the victim's mother didn't suspect anything because she thought Bodley's interest in her daughter was normal. She also recalled Bodley visiting their house between shifts at Universal Studios and Starbucks, sometimes picking up her daughter from school without notice.
The mother also remembered when Bodley's mother warned her about potential misconduct between her sons and the victim, and the possibility of false accusations.
The documents stated that the victim initially couldn't remember anything when asked about the abuse, but eventually recalled the assaults in Bodley's bedroom when she was around 10 years old.
The affidavit mentioned that after the assault, the victim 'blacked out,' and she remembered multiple occurrences in the Defendant's room, each time with him putting his penis in her mouth.
The victim also stated that Bodley laughed about it.
According to authorities, Bodley started sexually assaulting the child when he was a teenager, and this behavior continued into adulthood. They concluded that he must have known it was wrong, considering his admission that he was taking advantage of her when she didn't understand.
Court records reviewed by Law&Crime show that Bodley’s sentencing is scheduled for June 24.
Read the affidavit here.