A former DeLand restaurant operator was arrested, along with a DeBary couple, on a variety of charges, including using an underage girl for prostitution.
A woman who knows Robert Richards said she wasn't surprised that he was behind bars Wednesday.
"It was only a matter of time, to be honest," the former waitress told Channel 9's Angela Jacobs. "I wish I still had my old phone, because I could show so many messages of dirty things he would say to me."
Jacobs went through a 10-page arrest report in which Richards, 60, talked about an interest in young girls.
Investigators said a tip from a witness launched a seven-month county and federal investigation that ended in the arrest of Richards,
Investigators said Richards paid the couple to provide him with a 15-year-old girl he could pay for various sex acts. They said they believe the sex acts took place in Richards' home as well as at the now-closed Fresh Off the Hook restaurant,
According to investigators, the Graveses, who they said were known to abuse prescription pills, kept the girl drugged and even took the money Richards paid her to buy more pills.
The restaurant Richards ran for two years, just off State Road 44, sits dark and empty and that's because the owner dissolved the lease in October so he could renovate a marina.
Richards was charged with child abuse, two counts of lewd or lascivious battery.
Cynthia Graves was charged with procuring a person under the age of 18 for prostitution, deriving support from the proceeds of prostitution and child abuse.
Richards and Cynthia Graves were booked into the Volusia County jail. They each had a bond of $30,000.
Michael Graves was charged with child abuse and was booked into jail with a $15,000 bond.
A woman who knows Robert Richards said she wasn't surprised that he was behind bars Wednesday.
"It was only a matter of time, to be honest," the former waitress told Channel 9's Angela Jacobs. "I wish I still had my old phone, because I could show so many messages of dirty things he would say to me."
Jacobs went through a 10-page arrest report in which Richards, 60, talked about an interest in young girls.
Investigators said a tip from a witness launched a seven-month county and federal investigation that ended in the arrest of Richards,
Investigators said Richards paid the couple to provide him with a 15-year-old girl he could pay for various sex acts. They said they believe the sex acts took place in Richards' home as well as at the now-closed Fresh Off the Hook restaurant,
According to investigators, the Graveses, who they said were known to abuse prescription pills, kept the girl drugged and even took the money Richards paid her to buy more pills.
The restaurant Richards ran for two years, just off State Road 44, sits dark and empty and that's because the owner dissolved the lease in October so he could renovate a marina.
Richards was charged with child abuse, two counts of lewd or lascivious battery.
Cynthia Graves was charged with procuring a person under the age of 18 for prostitution, deriving support from the proceeds of prostitution and child abuse.
Richards and Cynthia Graves were booked into the Volusia County jail. They each had a bond of $30,000.
Michael Graves was charged with child abuse and was booked into jail with a $15,000 bond.
WFTV
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/32JQ2SKWNFHLFB3HRNHF33UDMQ.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/YGVFETCKVVFJXMYLVIKJPOVUYQ.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/CBIXECCR2FAQTI6WBLCCBSSFBI.jpeg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/RTFCAZ3WFZGQZOIDJY6NBYZLGA.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/2HMLHIH3C5GTHJV6NUR37SB6YA.jpg)