Hot Dogs for Hope minister arrested on sexual battery and lewd conduct charges

JACKSONVILLE, fLA. — UPDATE 3/2/2020: The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is seeking any possible sexual battery, lewd or lascivious exhibition or lewd or lascivious conduct victims of suspect Michael Linkenauger.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the JSO at (904) 630-0500.

Action News Jax first told you when Mike Linkenauger was arrested Thursday on three felony sex crime charges .

Police say they believe more victims are out there and police want them to come forward.

Linkenauger is known in the community for his faith-based ministry called Hot Dogs for Hope.

He is in jail in lieu of $400,000 bond for allegedly having sex with a child and admitted it to the child’s mother.

Jacksonville police say when officers went to his real estate office on Bartram Park Boulevard Thursday, he put up a fight with them.

Linkenauger is facing three felony sex crime charges including sexual battery, lewd and lascivious conduct, and exhibition charges.

Action News Jax has covered his numerous charity efforts in the community, from passing out blankets and jackets to Jacksonville’s homeless population, to providing hot meals and laundry services.

According to his arrest report, church members told police he had allegedly forced sex on a boy several times between August 2017 and June 2019.

Officers said Linkenauger became friends with the boy and his mother at the church.

According to the report, he had taken the boy out of town and invited the boy to spend nights at his home.

When confronted by the boy’s mother, Linkenauger apologized and said he had fantasies about being with boys, the report alleges

According to the police report, Linkenauger told the mother she should believe everything her son told her about the abuse.

In the report, he even told the boy’s mother he had done worse things to others.

Now police are asking any other victims to come forward.

Linkenauger will appear in court March 19.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Hot Dogs for Hope minister Mike Linkenauger, 41, was arrested “After a brief struggle” Thursday and is currently in Duval County Jail facing charges of sexual battery, lewd and lascivious conduct and lewd and lascivious exhibition, police say.

Action News Jax is working to learn the details behind the charges Linkenauger faces.

He is being held on $400,009 bond.

Action News Jax has previously covered Linkenauger’s charity efforts passing out blankets and jackets to Jacksonville’s homeless population.

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