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Foster dad held in rape

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News-Press, The (Fort Myers, FL)

S. Fort Myers man accused of having sex with teenager

By JEFF CULL

jcull@news-press.com

A south Fort Myers foster father was arrested earlier this week and charged with having sex with one of the children in his care.

Robert Charles Jackson, 55, is in the Lee County Jail on charges of sexual battery or rape and unlawful sexual activity with a child. His bail was set at $150,000.

If convicted of the second-degree felony, Jackson could be sentenced for up to 15 years in prison.

Reports said that his wife, Janie, also a foster parent in charge of at least two children in their Lowe Drive home, walked into the bedroom of their eldest ward and found her naked husband engaged in sex with the 16- or 17-year-old girl. That was at about 5 a.m. Tuesday morning.

Officials said Janie Jackson then was confronted by her husband who told her and the victim not to tell anyone for fear of going to jail.

However, Janie Jackson reported the alleged crime.

The victim said she knew Robert Jackson for about three years and a consensual sexual relationship had been going on "for a long time," the report said.

Officials with the Children's Network of Southwest Florida -- the agency responsible for child welfare and foster care in Lee County -- would not confirm Friday how many foster children were in the Jacksons' care at the time.

Another girl, between 12 and 15 years of age, also was believed to have been in the home at the time. All the children were removed from the home, a report said.

Children's Network officials said they would investigate the incident.

The Jacksons have been foster parents since May 2003 and have cared for at least 22 foster children in that time, Children's Network officials said.

Background checks were made of the couple before being licensed as a foster home by the Florida Department of Children & Families. Those checks turned up nothing, said Deb Webb, spokeswoman for the Children's Network. A criminal history check by The News-Press found that Robert Jackson had his driver's license suspended in 1995 for an unnamed misdemeanor.

Foster home monitoring and child welfare was turned over to private organizations in Lee County in February 2004 after the Florida Legislature deemed that organizations other than DCF could do the job cheaper and better.

Case managers from Lutheran Services Florida made monthly visits to the Jacksons' foster home to check on the children, and the Children's Network reviewed their license annually. Webb said there were no complaints. Lutheran Services in Tampa could not be reached Friday evening.

Records show that the Jacksons lived on Lowe Drive -- a street that neighbors described as quiet -- since 1998.

But the news of Jackson's arrest had neighbors talking.

"It was really a shock to find out this happened on our street," said Rhea Bogner, a 30-year resident.

2006 Jan 7