JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department lieutenant was arrested Wednesday based on accusations that he tried to have sex with a minor.
Lt. Renaldo Lampkins, a 17-year veteran of the city fire department, was suspended without pay in the wake of his arrest and faces termination, Fire Chief Keith Powers told News4Jax in an emailed statement.
Lampkins, 47, was released from the Duval County jail about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, three hours after he was booked on a felony count of attempted unlawful sexual activity with certain minors and misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor, jail logs show.
Lampkins was ordered to have no contact with the victim and witnesses in the case, as well as any minors.
According to Lampkins' arrest warrant, the victim told investigators that Lampkins made sexual advances toward her while visiting her family’s home April 16. While her mother was outside, the victim said, Lampkins asked her to place her hand on the crotch of his pants. She said he also kissed her against her wishes, offered to buy her a sex toy, expressed a sexual interest in her and asked if she wanted to meet up when her mother wasn’t around.
The victim’s mother told News4Jax she was devastated when she learned what happened. She said she only found out about it after another parent intercepted a text message the victim sent her daughter.
“I didn’t know the details of what exactly happened," she said. “But I got angry immediately, of course, and I had to get him out of my house.”
The victim’s mother also said that looking back on what happened, she realizes there were red flags. She said Lampkins told her, “'I know you have cameras in here.'”
“So he started asking me where the other ones are. I told him, and he said, ‘Are they always recording?’” she said.
News4Jax crime and safety analyst, who is a retired Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office sex crimes investigator, said that was an odd question to ask.
Lampkins’ arrest comes a little bit more than a year after a woman accused Lampkins of rape, though he was not charged with a crime. Court records show the woman sought a restraining order in July 2019, saying Lampkins “forcibly raped her at his home” in March 2019. A judge awarded the restraining order and later extended it.
“In 2019, we took appropriate steps to ensure that while this individual was under investigation, he had no contact with the general public,” Powers said in part. “No charges were filed as a result of that investigation and he returned to regular duty consistent with Civil Service rules.”
The fire chief said the department’s recruitment has “changed significantly” in the past three years.
“It’s a much more stringent process that delves into all aspects of a candidate’s background including a psychological evaluation.”
The president of the firefighter union was not able to comment because Lampkins is not a union member.