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Miami-Dade police officer charged with sexual battery

A Miami-Dade police lieutenant and former high-ranking union member has been charged with sexual battery and was booked into Palm Beach County Jail on Friday, according to police.

John Jenkins Jr. has been “relieved of his official duties as a Miami-Dade Police Department lieutenant,” said Miami-Dade Police Director Alfredo “Freddy” Ramirez III in a statement on Saturday statement.

Ramirez said he suspended Jenkins “immediately” after being notified of an off-duty incident involving Jenkins on April 25 in the city of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

“Now learning of his arrest, it has brought a sense of disappointment that is immeasurable,” Ramirez said.

“This is a serious matter and I am confident that the City of Palm Beach Gardens Police Department will continue to carry out a thorough investigation,” the statement from Ramirez said.

Last week, Jenkins resigned as executive vice president of the South Florida Police Benevolent Association (PBA), according to CNN affiliate WPLG. CNN has reached out to the PBA for comment.

On April 24, the day before the alleged incident, several union members from across the state gathered at the Trump National Jupiter Golf Club for the 13th Annual Police Officer’s Ball.

The event was hosted by PBA, according to event details on the union’s website, which have since been removed.

Heidi Perlet, Jenkins’ attorney, told CNN in an email statement that the interaction was consensual.

“Two adults who are long time friends stayed at the same hotel after a PBA event. Alcohol was free flowing throughout the evening,” Perlet said. “These two adults engaged in consensual sexual activity. This conduct does not equal rape.”

Jenkins is charged with two counts of sexual battery on a person older than 18, jail records show.

A judge ordered Jenkins have no contact with the victim(s) and set a $20,000 bond for both counts, court records show. A hearing was set for July 1, according to Palm Beach County court records.

No details have been released regarding the allegations against Jenkins.

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