Cop fired; accused of seeking sex photos

MARGATE — Saying his alleged actions have brought “shame” and “dishonor” to the force, the Margate Police Department has fired a longtime officer who’s accused of seeking explicit pictures of a girl.

Andrew Hammock, an officer with the department since September 2002, was ensnared last year by a federal crackdown on child sexual exploitation, when he solicited pictures from an undercover FBI agent who was posing as a girl, authorities say.

Margate police, in a termination letter, accused Hammock of violating the law both on and off duty. “I am greatly disappointed and deeply concerned by your behavior,” Chief Jonathan Shaw wrote. “I intend to hold you accountable for your conduct. Your actions in this instance are extremely egregious and will not be tolerated at any level of the organization . ... You have brought shame and dishonor to the city of Margate Police Department on both a local and national level.”

Hammock’s civil defense attorney, Michael Braverman, said he will be contesting his termination from the agency. “He denies the charges,” Braverman said.

The FBI accused Hammock of soliciting pictures of a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct, and the U.S. Marshals Office arrested him during a road patrol shift.

According to federal documents, an undercover FBI agent answered a social media posting from “Playful_guy,” which stated, he felt “like peeking and being peeked at by a younger girl.” The agent pretended to be a 14-year-old girl and communicated with Hammock.

He told the agent who was posing as a girl that any pictures she shared would be confidential, and urged her to send pictures of “in between” outfit changes, among other suggestions, the criminal complaint said.

“You are perfect and exactly my dream girl,” he told her.

“Just be more open minded,” he urged. “If you’re willing to be seen half naked at beach, don’t be afraid to let me see a little of you.”

Federal officials said the crackdown is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.

After Hammock was arrested, he was put on leave without pay until the conclusion of the criminal case and internal investigation. If convicted, Hammock faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years, and up to 30 years in federal prison, and a potential life term of supervised release. His trial is scheduled for next month.