A 52-year-old retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army has been taken into custody in Central Florida on charges of Lewd or Lascivious Battery and Molestation involving a juvenile victim.
On August 20th, Derek Zitko, aged 52, voluntarily surrendered to authorities following the issuance of an arrest warrant earlier in the day.
An investigation by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office was initiated following a report from a victim earlier this month. As part of the local investigation, detectives discovered that the incidents took place in 2013, following Zitko’s friendship with the victim’s family.
Zitko and the victim had a significant age difference, with Zitko being in their 40s and the victim being in their early teens.
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“Our determination to seek justice does not diminish over time, and no one is above the law, regardless of their position or past,” said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister. “I commend the bravery of this survivor for coming forward and sharing their story, which has been instrumental in holding this vile offender accountable. We will always stand with victims and work tirelessly to ensure that those responsible face consequences.”
Law enforcement reports that Zitko had a distinguished military career, serving in the U.S. Army from June 1994 until his retirement in May 2015. He retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He has been an active member of the Chapel at Fishhawk near Tampa for approximately seven years, where authorities said he served as a small group leader and youth volunteer from 2018 to 2022.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is encouraging individuals with information to come forward and contact them at (813) 247-8200, as they believe there may be more victims.
