A 52-year-old former Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army was arrested in Central Florida on charges of molesting and causing a sexual act to a child.
On August 20, 52-year-old Derek Zitko turned himself in because he had been wanted for arrest that day.
This month, a victim came forward and asked the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office to look into what happened. During the local investigation, police learned that the crimes happened in 2013 after Zitko became friendly with the victim’s family.
That person was 13 to 14 years old, and Zitko was 40 to 41 years old.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said, “Our determination to seek justice does not fade over time, and no one is above the law, no matter what their position or past is.” I think it was very brave of this person to come forward and tell their story. It has helped hold this horrible criminal responsible. We will always stand with victims and do everything we can to make sure those guilty are held accountable.
Authorities say Zitko was in the U.S. Army from June 1994 until he retired in May 2015. He was a Lieutenant Colonel when he left the army. He has also been an involved member of the Chapel at Fishhawk near Tampa for about seven years. From 2018 to 2022, he volunteered as a small group leader and with young people as a youth volunteer.
If you know anything about this crime, please call (813) 247-8200 and tell the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. They think there may be more victims.
