VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A 29-year-old man is behind bars, accused of sexually battering a 13-year-old girl he met on the Snapchat app using a fake profile.
Volusia County Sheriff deputies arrested Joaquin Mendez Friday night on a charge of lewd or lascivious battery of a victim under 16 years old.
According to deputies, the victim’s mother found concerning text messages on her daughter’s phone during a routine check on Friday afternoon.
DeLand man, 29, arrested in sexual battery of 13-year-old girl he met on Snapchat, using fake profile: https://t.co/poqswVvYiA pic.twitter.com/p8Unt8AYhx
— Volusia Sheriff (@VolusiaSheriff) September 12, 2020
The victim told her mom she had met Mendez on Snapchat and had sex with him that morning after he picked her up in his car and drove her to a wooded area.
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The victim’s mother reported the incident, and deputies located the suspect’s vehicle and maintained surveillance on it while detectives obtained a search and arrest warrant, deputies said.
Mendez was arrested and is being held on $25,000 bond.
According to the sheriff’s office, the investigation revealed that Mendez used fake Instagram and Snapchat accounts that displayed images of a young man who wasn’t Mendez.
Mendez, which he used to contact the victim.
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The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office encourages parents and guardians to talk with their kids about the risks of chatting with strangers online or over apps.
If you discover signs that your child has been sending or receiving sexually explicit messages, images or videos, call the Volusia Sheriff’s Office Child Exploitation Unit at 386-323-3574.
Cox Media Group
