Karl Etters

Democrat staff writer

The coordinator for the Florida House of Representatives page program was arrested after he allegedly left his 10-year-old son home alone to meet and have sex with someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl.

Michael Chmielewski, who until Monday was Civics Program Coordinator with the state House of Representatives Page Program, faces one count of using a computer to solicit a minor and one count of traveling to meet a minor.

After he was fired Monday, he was banned from the Capitol grounds, said House spokesman Fred Piccolo. Chmielewski, 37, ran the House's page and messenger program, which attracts up to 300 teenagers, ages 13 to 18 every legislative session. He had served in that role since 2012.

He was arrested after responding to an ad posted by an undercover officer posing as a 14-year-old girl on Sunday.

Chmielewski talked about sex acts with the undercover officer after acknowledging the “girl” was under age. He agreed to travel to meet her and was arrested.

When Leon County Sheriff’s deputies took him into custody, they found condoms in his car. When he was arrested, Chmielewski said, “I know that I am in trouble. What can I do to help it?” court records said.

"The defendant left his 10-year-old son at home alone so he could meet with what he expected to be a 14-year-old female for the purpose of having sexual contact," investigators wrote in their report.

Contact Karl Etters at ketters@tallahassee.com

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