{"id":82338,"date":"2026-09-27T20:34:34","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T00:34:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/?p=82338"},"modified":"2026-09-27T20:34:40","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T00:34:40","slug":"pt-8-will-the-ft-myers-city-commissioners-investigate-allegations-of-sexual-misconduct-made-against-the-ft-myers-mayor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/2026\/09\/27\/pt-8-will-the-ft-myers-city-commissioners-investigate-allegations-of-sexual-misconduct-made-against-the-ft-myers-mayor\/","title":{"rendered":"Pt 8: Will the Ft. Myers city commissioners investigate allegations of sexual misconduct made against the Ft. Myers Mayor?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

So far, only the Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson\u2019s accusers are asking for an independent review.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

By Bob Norman<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below is a reprint of the play-by-play of the text exchange between Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson and then-21-year-old Kagan Vann from the night Vann became ill while meeting with Anderson at a downtown bar.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Kagan Vann confronts Mayor Kevin Anderson, left, at last week\u2019s council meeting.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I\u2019m posting it because it was behind a paywall in the Lighthouse story that originally broke the scandal. It\u2019s beginning to look like a mistake not to have shared it all at once, because the misinformation swirling around Fort Myers about this right now is legion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The allegations have obviously been met with a great deal of public concern \u2014 but it\u2019s also been met at the highest levels with the playing of rank partisan politics, a circling of the wagons by powerful special interests, and a deafening silence from elected leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A key question: Why is it that it\u2019s only the mayor\u2019s initial two young accusers \u2014 Vann and 18-year-old Dominic Hendricks \u2014 who are calling for a full and complete independent investigation of the matter?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shouldn\u2019t the mayor be the one demanding an independent investigation, especially if he\u2019s done nothing wrong? And if Anderson isn\u2019t stepping up to call for an investigation, why aren\u2019t his colleagues on the city council doing so?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At last week\u2019s city council meeting, we saw those colleagues looking confused and lost \u2014 almost shell-shocked \u2014 on the dais as Vann and Hendricks went face-to-face with the mayor to tell their stories. The mayor for his part listened quietly as his accusers addressed him directly to make their disturbing allegations. He offered no fiery defense to the accusations that he was preying on the young men. Instead he gave a brief denial before abruptly adjourning the meeting and being escorted from the room by police.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After initially answering my questions, Anderson has provided no substantive media interviews since. He has however resigned his seat on both the Valerie\u2019s House and Florida Gulf Coast University Alumni Association boards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Behind the scenes, the overall strategy seems to be emerging \u2014 blame it on partisan politics. Claim this is political theater cooked up at election time to harm the mayor. But that doesn\u2019t seem to wash with reality either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a brief rundown of facts that belie the idea that this is some sort of October surprise cooked up by Democrats who oppose the married Republican mayor:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014Vann is a registered Republican with no discernible interest in politics whatsoever with whom the mayor struck up a friendship when he was a teenager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014The chief witness in his case, Jeremy Stanekenas, who was bartending the night of the meeting between Vann and Anderson, is a staunchly conservative Republican campaigner. He is adamant<\/a> after seeing Vann before, during, and after his encounter with Anderson that the mayor is responsible for what happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014It was two Republican<\/em> activists \u2014 Jacqueline Perez and Denise Nystrom \u2014 who were instrumental in exposing the story to the public. And one of the earliest and most aggressive news outlets to cover the scandal and tell Hendricks\u2019 story was the Coastal<\/a> Conservative<\/a><\/em> News<\/a>, which is a hard-right operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014For the record, I learned of this not from a political source but from one in law enforcement who was more focused on Police Chief Jason Fields\u2019 dubious handling of the Vann investigation than they were on Anderson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perez said she never viewed this as a partisan political issue and she finds it disturbing that it\u2019s being framed as such by some of the mayor\u2019s advocates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis isn\u2019t about politics, this is about protecting the young people in the community,\u201d Perez told the Lighthouse. \u201cThere are no ethics or morality now. Power and money take precedence over everything. That\u2019s disgusting. Where are they who claim to be conservative Christians? Where are their values?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, the story moves fast. A former co-worker of Anderson\u2019s at Chico\u2019s came forward last week and there is more to come. In the meantime, here\u2019s the play-by-play of the undisputed communication between Anderson and Vann on the night of Nov. 21, 2024, as well as what followed. You can read all the texts here<\/a> as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet me know if you want to get together for a cup of coffee or a drink,\u201d Anderson texted Vann that day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course Kevin! We can go grab a drink or coffee!\u201d Vann responded in a text chain he provided to this publication. \u201cIt\u2019s always fun hanging with you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vann suggested they could have a drink downtown at the Hogwash bar at 7:30 p.m., but the mayor had other business. He explained that Hogwash was a brand new bar, but Anderson already knew about the place — he\u2019d done a ribbon-cutting the night before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And he had a bit of mayor\u2019s business that evening as well. There was a fundraiser to attend at Valerie\u2019s House, the annual \u201cSunset Soiree.\u201d The mayor appears in a photo from that night<\/a> on the charity\u2019s website posing with his wife, Krista.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a>
A photo of one of the text messages taken by police at the scene.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

They decided they would meet after the fundraiser. But the later it got, the weirder the texts from the mayor became. He gave a belated heart emoji reaction to Vann\u2019s earlier text that he had fun hanging out with him. This dialogue followed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anderson: \u201cDidn\u2019t realize I was fun.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vann: \u201cYeah you are! Other people always just talk about business with you, but whenever it\u2019s just someone who wants to hangout as friends you can be fun!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anderson: \u201cYou should see me after a few drink [sic].\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vann: \u201cHell yeah, party animal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anderson: \u201cSome might say offensive lol.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vann: \u201cIt\u2019s like that sometimes, same here though\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anderson: \u201cThat sounds like a challenge … Challenge accepted\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A little later Anderson talks of drinking wine and seems to hint at something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anderson: \u201cStill going here. Maybe an hour. All the wine is kicking in (winking emoji)\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vann: \u201cI\u2019ll see you here!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anderson: \u201cYou sure you\u2019re ready lol\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vann: \u201cI\u2019m born ready …. Let\u2019s get the drink on!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anderson: \u201cYou sure you know what you\u2019re getting into?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vann: \u201cIdk yet? I haven\u2019t drank with you yet so I\u2019m intrigued! And I love challenges\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mayor: \u201cHmmm.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mayor accompanied that text with a red-cheeked blushing emoji and then suggested they go to the 10 Twenty Five bar instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs soon as we make our bid [at the fundraiser] we\u2019ll be leaving,\u201d he wrote the actor, before he jokingly added, \u201cAt $10k. Long way to go til we get to my level. lol\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mayor asked Vann if he was drinking to which Vann replied he was having money troubles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anderson: \u201cI\u2019ll cover your drinks just to see how you are after a few drinks lol\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vann: Ok, thank you I appreciate that<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anderson: \u201cHope so (winking emoji)\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vann said he found the emojis and suggestive talk creepy, but not alarming, just uncomfortable stuff from an older person. He said he had no idea what was coming next. When they met at 10 Twenty Five, they talked about acting, said Vann, who ordered his usual — tequila and Red Bull. He said when he was on his second one, Anderson asked him if he knew what a \u201cbro job\u201d was and suggested he look it up on his phone. Vann said he did so and saw that it meant a friend providing oral sex to another friend.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a>
Anderson and his wife Krista in a campaign photo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Then Anderson made a proposition, according to Vann.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe said, \u2018I\u2019ve watched you grow up from a young boy to the stud you are today,\u2019\u201d Vann claimed. \u201cHe grabbed my shoulder and said, \u2018Here\u2019s what I\u2019m gonna do, I\u2019m gonna take you to the ATM and give you $200 and I\u2019m gonna suck you off.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vann said he was immediately alarmed and uncomfortable with the talk. He said he asked Anderson if his wife knew about it and he said the mayor answered that she did know and that they lead largely separate lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shortly after that he said he began to feel like something wasn\u2019t right physically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy legs started going numb, I started shaking, and I couldn\u2019t breathe correctly,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He left the table and rushed to the nearby Kava Culture Bar, where his friends began taking care of him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI made it to Kava and my eyes were rolling in the back of my head, I was sweating profusely, I couldn\u2019t speak, I couldn\u2019t move,\u201d Vann said. \u201cThe EMT said, \u2018He\u2019s been drugged.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a friend, Tyler Tyrone Bell, who called 911 and is on police body cam footage talking about what he saw that night. A close friend, Bell knew Vann was meeting the mayor that night and had already seen the strange text messages.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a>
Bell explains what he saw at the scene.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cI was like, \u2018This doesn\u2019t feel above board,\u2019\u201d Bell told police. \u201cI want to like at least make sure [Vann was] good. So me a few buddies went over and watched them from afar. They were sitting apart from each other talking normal. It didn\u2019t seem weird or anything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bell took a quick video of the pair at the table and went back to the nearby Kava bar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen I see him bolting from that location and like running over here [toward the Kava bar],\u201d Bell said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said he\u2019d never seen his friend in a physical and mental state like that before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c[Vann\u2019s] hysterical, he\u2019s talking about, \u2018Oh, he tried to solicit me, he was legitimately trying to get me to do something with him,\u2019\u201d Bell recounted on the police body cam video. \u201cHe starts getting loopy, a little incoherent. He\u2019s drooling from his mouth, tears are coming from his eyes. So I like shine my flashlight into his eyes, his pupils are huge. They dilate to the size normal people would be instead of the normal like little dot. I try to get him to take some water, he won\u2019t take it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A now-former Kava Culture bartender, Jeremy Stanekenas, told police on body cam that he also knew Vann was meeting with the mayor and decided to check on him while the two were sitting at the table just to let the \u201cyoung\u201d Vann know \u201cthere was a presence there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t like the energy one bit,\u201d Stanekenas told police.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat did you see?\u201d an officer asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou guys are cops man, sometimes you know man,\u201d he answered. \u201cYou\u2019ve been around certain people doing certain things, and I\u2019m not talking about kids or anything, but there are certain things you know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut they\u2019re both adults,\u201d the officer said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know, so it\u2019s none of my business,\u201d said Stanekenas. \u201cI just want to make sure everything\u2019s kosher and I leave.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Stanekenas is still adamant he believes Vann was drugged. You can read about his subsequent interview with the Lighthouse, and about some of the fundamental flaws in the FMPD\u2019s botched investigation here.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When he saw the state Vann was in after leaving the mayor, Stanekenas said he too felt something had gone very wrong. He said Vann showed him the texts with the mayor, which Stanekenas photographed on his own phone and later shared with police.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStaneknas took photos of Vann\u2019s text messages and showed Officers the texts between both adults,\u201d Fort Myers police Ofc. Jacob Martin wrote in his report. \u201cEverything appeared to be consensual and non-criminal in nature. None of the messages show any conversation about exchanging money for sexual acts. He also took a photo of the contact\u2019s name, which was saved as Mayor Anderson.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stanekenas told police he was alarmed when Vann said he\u2019d gone to the bathroom while he was with the mayor because one should never leave their drink unattended. He said that even though he was about to get a job with the local Republican Party, he felt the need to speak with police.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe\u2019s young and impressionable and something aint right with him right now,\u201d Stanekenas said of Vann. \u201cAnd I can\u2019t go to bed and I don\u2019t give a shit if he\u2019s the mayor or not. I saw what I saw.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a>
The mayor apologizes afterward. (Special to the Lighthouse)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Vann told police about his encounter with Anderson before he was loaded into an ambulance and taken to Lee Memorial Hospital, but he initially didn\u2019t name him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cVann stated that tonight he met with a \u2018government official\u2019 whose name he did not want to disclose to officers for a drink,\u201d Martin wrote. \u201cHe said that he only recalls having two \u2018Tequila and Red Bull\u2019 drinks and usually does not feel the way he was. Due to Vann being under the influence, officers did not obtain a sworn audio-recorded statement from him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vann later told a police officer at the hospital that Anderson had offered him cash for sex. And he points to texts the mayor sent him shortly after he ran into the Kava bar as proof that the mayor hit on him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m so so sorry,\u201d the mayor wrote Vann.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vann managed to text back, \u201cYoure good.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThanks. But, I\u2019m still disappointed that I misread things,\u201d Anderson responded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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