CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. – Wednesday, November 4, 2020, 41-year-old Kenneth Slanker of Inverness was sentenced to life in prison. Slanker was arrested in 2019 after an initial investigation revealed that he sexually battered a juvenile victim over a period of years. Detectives Tony Ricci and Tiffany Barry with the CCSO Special Victim’s Unit (SVU) worked swiftly to bring justice and security to the victim, making an arrest within a day of the allegations.
Slanker was employed at the time as a corrections officer at the Coleman Correctional Complex in Sumter County.
On February 19, 2020, Slanker was found guilty of the allegations against him by a jury during a one day trial. On Wednesday, November 4th, 2020 Detective Ricci, along with the victim and members of the victim’s family, spoke in Judge Howard’s courtroom during the sentencing hearing. They provided statements on how Slanker’s inexcusable actions have irreparably affected the victim and the victim’s family. Judge Howard, after hearing from the prosecution, defense, and victim, sentenced Slanker to life in prison on each of his six charges.
“Due to the excellent work by Citrus County Sheriff’s Office Detectives Ricci and Barry, Kenneth Slanker will never have the opportunity to prey on another child as long as he lives. Although no amount of prison time will undo what he has done to this innocent child, the victim and the victim’s family now have closure and a sense of justice,” said Sheriff Mike Prendergast. “This case exemplifies the high level of cooperation between CCSO, the Child Protection Team, and the State Attorney’s Office when it comes to seeking justice in these type of cases. These agencies work tirelessly to give a voice to victims.”