A Lehigh Acres man who played briefly in the NFL and was a three-time All-American at Liberty University, has been arrested on charges of sexual assault and lewd and lascivious behavior involving two children 5 and younger.
John Donald Lunsford, 25, of Lehigh Acres, turned himself in at the Lee County Jail and was arrested Tuesday night. He remains in jail on $60,000 bond. His arraignment is Dec. 9.
According to court documents, Lunsford committed sexual acts on the children between January 2017 and July 20 of this year.
John Donald Lunsford (Photo: Special to The News-Press)
The sexual activity was discovered by the mother of the children after one of them described seeing Lunsford naked. She also described other sexual acts.
She also said Lunsford would take photos of her and her sister’s genitals with his cell phone.
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Additionally, the 5-year-old told investigators she did not feel safe at Lunsford’s home.
A change in the 5-year-old’s demeanor in 2018, from outgoing and happy to sad was reported by several people interviewed during the investigation.
A teacher said the older sister stopped drawing colorful pictures and instead drew black hearts and similar pictures. The teacher passed the drawings to the girl’s mother.
The mother reported the incidents to the Florida Department of Children and Family Services in July and a Sheriff’s Office investigator filed an additional report.
Investigators collected sheets, a playpen, clothing and other items from Lunsford’s home.
During an interview with investigators in July, Lunsford denied the sexual contact and also declined to take a polygraph test, court documents said.
Lunsford played football at Evangelical Christian School. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound kicker signed as an undrafted free agent by the San Francisco 49ers in 2016, playing in three preseason games. He was released by the 49ers and picked up by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January 2017. He was cut by the Bucs soon after and then picked up by the Seattle Seahawks in March 2017.
Lunsford next played for the Florida Tarpons in a semi-professional arena football league.
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