VERO BEACH — The State Attorney’s Office for the 18th Circuit in Viera announced Wednesday afternoon that it would not pursue formal charges of sexual battery against long-time Vero Beach attorney Charles Sullivan Sr. in the case involving a secretary in the office Sullivan shares with his son Charles Sullivan Jr. and Bobby Guttridge.
The state has filed a “Notice of No Information” to formalize the end of the case, which began with a complaint received by the Vero Beach Police Department in mid-June.
The woman who filed the complaint was equipped by detectives with a wire and sent into the office on June 22 and June 23 to record conversations with Sullivan Sr. about the alleged events. Investigators obtained a warrant for Sullivan Sr’s arrest, after which he turned himself in at the Indian River County Jail on June 25 and was released the next morning on a $25,000 bond.
In a statement released Wednesday by State Attorney Phil Archer’s spokeswoman Lynne Bumpus-Hooper said, “After a lengthy investigation involving several trips to Vero Beach to meet with the victim, her representatives, law enforcement, and others, Lynch filed the no information today, absolving Sullivan from prosecution in the case.”
In Hooper’s statement, Lynch said, “These cases are difficult, not only for the victim, but for everyone involved because the goal is to be certain the correct and just decision is made. The Vero Beach Police Department has been excellent to work with and has diligently pursued all issues raised. There was probable cause for the arrest; however, it is our decision taking into consideration all information that might be presented at trial that there would be no likelihood of conviction on this charge.”
The identity of the complainant was kept sealed throughout the proceedings, though it was revealed that she was a former employee of State Attorney Bruce Colton’s office, which Colton said was one factor in his decision to ask Gov. Rick Scott to appoint a prosecutor outside the 19th Circuit to handle the case.
Sullivan Sr.’s attorneys Andy Metcalf and Bob Stone said they will be issuing a statement to the press later Wednesday afternoon.
Vero Beach Police Chief David Currey said Wednesday after the announcement that he stands by the police work that resulted in an arrest in this case, and added that it was factors other than the evidence presented from the Vero Beach Police Department that led to the decision not to prosecute.
“We did everything we could to present a case, it’s not our decision whether or not to prosecute,” he said.
“Of course we’re disappointed and wish we were moving forward with it, but just because someone isn’t being prosecuted doesn’t necessarily mean they’re innocent,” Currey said. “It just means that they’re not going to be prosecuted for this particular case at this particular time.”