Sexual Battery at Bradenton Group Home: More Charges Filed

BRADENTON, FL — As the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office continues its investigation into alleged sexual misconduct at a Bradenton group home for special needs people, the two men arrested in the case face more charges.

According to the agency, a 15-year-old male victim has been identified. Both men arrested in the case now face additional charges, as a result. Jeremiah Damsgaard, 25, was charged with four additional counts of lewd and lascivious battery on a victim age 12 to 16 on Tuesday night. David Makynen, 30, now faces one additional count of lewd and lascivious battery on a victim age 12 to 16, the agency reported in a Wednesday email to media.

The investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct began on Nov. 14. That investigation led to the initial arrest of Damsgaard on Nov. 17. At that time, Damsgaard was charged with one count of lewd and lascivious battery on a victim age 12 to 16. He was also charged with four counts of lewd and lascivious molestation on a victim age 12 to 16. Deputies added a count of sexual battery on an adult victim on Monday, Dec. 12.

According to the sheriff’s office, Damsgaard’s initially identified victims are both males, ages 14 and 29 years.

Damsgaard, sheriff’s office spokesman Dave Bristow said, is friends with Makynen, who worked at several group homes over the past 12 years as a contractor for the State of Florida. Makynen, the sheriff’s office said, worked as a support coach for special needs adults.

Deputies say Makynen provided Damsgaard access to his alleged victims. Makynen was initially arrested Monday, charged with three counts of sexual battery on adult victims. The victims the sheriff’s office originally identified were all men, ages 25, 29 and 50.

The two men are also under investigation by the Florida Attorney General’s Office’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the sheriff’s office noted in a Tuesday email to media.

Additional charges against both men are pending. The sheriff's office is not releasing the name or location of the group home involved to protect the identity of the victims. Both men are from Bradenton. Bristow confirmed the home where the batteries allegedly occurred is also in Bradenton.

Anyone with information about the case or possible additional victims is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 941-747-3011 or Crime Stoppers at 866-634-TIPS.

Both Makynen and Damsgaard remained in the Manatee County Jail Wednesday.

Booking photos of Makynen and Damsgaard courtesy of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office