Youth pastor Fernando Ponce of Miami, Florida was arrested on July 12 for allegedly engaging in a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl.
Ponce, 24, was charged with one count of possession of sexual performance by a child and 20 counts of lewd and lascivious battery. He is being held on $25,000 bond and will be placed on house arrest if he manages to post bail. He was also ordered to stay away from the victim and the church. The press did not name an attorney for Ponce.
Therapist Pedro Julio Garcia of Kendall, Florida was arrested on May 24 for allegedly sexually a 13-year-old during a session. Garcia, 67, is being charged with lewd and lascivious molestation on a child between 12 and 16 years of age, and lewd and lascivious conduct on a child less than 16 years of age.
According to the arrest report, the alleged incident took place at Garcia’s practice in 9010 SW 137th Avenue. The teen told investigators that Garcia tried to kiss her mouth and touched her inappropriately during a session. She said he told her to lie on a couch and close her eyes, then he placed his fingers on her mouth and asked her if they “felt like her boyfriend’s kisses,” the report said. The victim tried to leave the room, but Garcia held her and attempted to kiss her.
Kevin Macek of Pompano Beach, Florida was arrested on Monday morning for allegedly sending pornographic images of children and encouraging sex acts on underage children during webcam shows.
Macek. 41, faces 11 counts, including solicitation of a child and possession and transmission of a child porn. It is unclear if he has acquired legal representation.
Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy Adam W. Godbey was arrested last week after investigators reportedly found over 30 pictures and videos depicting underage girls and boys performing sexual acts on his cellphone and laptop computer.
Godbey, 38, is facing several counts of child pornography charges. He is at being held without bond at Palm Beach County Jail. During his first court session last Thursday, a judge ordered him to receive a mental health evaluation and told him not to have contact with any minors. The press did not name an attorney for Godbey.
Dale Leary of Cutler Bay, Florida was arrested this week together with his one-time foreign-exchange student Marta San Jose for allegedly sexually abusing San Jose’s teenage sister. Leary, 50, and San Jose, 21, reportedly worked together to lure the then 14-year-old victim to move in with them and they sexually abused her for two years.
Leary and San Jose are both charged with engaging in a sexual act with a familial child, lewd and lascivious conduct with a child under 16, contributing to the delinquency of a child, and possession of child pornography.
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