The names of two new men connected to the alleged underage sex trafficking case involving Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL-01) have been released.
One of them is a friend and former employee of Joel Greenberg, the Gaetz associate at the center of the case who pleaded guilty to sex trafficking and other crimes earlier this week.
That man is Joe Ellicott.
“Nicknamed ‘Big Joe,’ Ellicott was listed in a federal grand jury subpoena sent to a different individual and obtained by POLITICO,” that news outlet reported Thursday.
According to the report, Ellicott worked for Greenberg, who was the elected Seminole County Tax Collector, as assistant deputy tax collector. He had no experience in “government or taxation matters,” and had previously run a collectibles store while living with his mother, but drew a salary of $97,248 in his government role.
He was also accused of sexually harassing a woman in that office.
“The woman sent the office a letter on Aug. 28, 2019, threatening to sue over the alleged harassment that listed a host of inappropriate comments Ellicott allegedly made to her, including ‘how much he wants sex from young women,’ and ‘how he uses women sexually when they are in desperate situations such as a young student or a single mom,'” POLITICO said.
The lawsuit was settled for $40,000.
The second new name revealed on the grand jury subpoena list is Halsey Beshears, who served in the state House alongside Gaetz.
Beshears later served as the secretary of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, a position from which he resigned when the probe into Gaetz and the others began.
From Beshears, the subpoena requests “communications with or records of payment to or from any women you met through the above individuals or who attended parties, gatherings, or events also attended by you and any of the above individuals from January 2016 to the present.”
The “above individuals” include Gaetz, Greenberg, and Ellicott.
– – –
Pete D’Abrosca is a contributor at The Florida Capital Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
