JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Investigators are asking the public for help identifying any other victims of a 41-year-old Jacksonville man arrested Wednesday for sexual battery and other offenses.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that Michael T. Linkenauger resisted when patrol officers arrested him near the Julington Durbin Creek Nature Preserve. On Monday morning, sheriff’s officials shared a photo of Linkenauger, his face bloodied and swollen.
Linkenauger, who works as a real estate agent and is known in the local community for his faith-based charity efforts, is accused of raping a boy multiple times between the summers of 2017 and 2019, according to WJAX.
Linkenauger ran a ministry for the homeless called “Hot Dogs for Hope” and allegedly met his victim and the boy’s mother at church four years ago. He became friendly with the family and the boy’s mother allowed him to take the child on overnight trips out of town to go golfing, according to the arrest report.
The boy’s mother contacted police after she says Linkenauger confessed to the abuse, allegedly telling her he had fantasies about boys and that he was “about to lose everything, and he had done things a lot worse.”
Linkenauger, who also faces charges of lewd or lascivious conduct and lewd or lascivious exhibition is being held on $400,000 bail.
Anyone with information related to the investigation is asked to call the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at (904) 630-0500.
