Marion County firefighter accused of molesting a child under 12

HAWTHORNE, Fla. (WCJB) - A firefighter paramedic working in Marion County faces charges of lewd and lascivious molestation of a child under the age of 12.

On Friday morning, Putnam County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Murrel Dempsey Liverman Jr., 57, of Hawthorne, a firefighter paramedic with Marion County Fire Rescue.

Deputies say the investigation began after an anonymous tip was submitted to the state hotline reporting abuse between Liverman and a child. When investigators spoke with the victim, the child told them on several occasions Liverman put his hands down the victim’s pants when no other adults were around.

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Liverman had applied to work as a reserve member of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies decided that inviting him to the sheriff’s office for an interview for the reserve position was the safest way to take him into custody.

He was booked into the Putnam County Jail on a $250,000 bond.

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