Juan Centeno of Margate, Florida was arrested on July 27 after he was allegedly caught having sex with a 13-year-old girl outside her home.

Centeno, 19, is charged with five counts of lewd or lascivious battery on a minor. He was released from jail on Saturday afternoon after posting $30,000 bond. The press did not name an attorney for him.

According to the arrest report, the alleged incident occurred at around 2 a.m. on July 27 outside the 13-year-old victim’s home in Sunrise. The victim reportedly sneaked out of the house sometime after midnight. Her mother realized she was not in her room at 2 a.m. She went outside and saw a Honda Accord rocking back and forth in front of their Sunrise home. Her daughter was in the back seat having sex with a man she didn’t recognize, so she called 911.

Police arrived at the scene at 5:12 a.m. They found Centeno in the driver’s seat of the vehicle and the 13-year-old in the back seat. When questioned by police, the 13-year-old reportedly said she had just finished having sex with her friend.

Centeno also admitted to having sex with the 13-year-old. He told police that he met the teen via Instagram on July 5. She had told him she was 14 and that she had already had sex with another 19-year-old, the report said.

Centeno was sent straight to jail and the girl was taken to a sexual assault treatment center for evaluation. The teen’s mother reportedly wants to pursue charges.

Another sexual battery incident involving an adult man and a minor was reported in West Palm Beach last week. Aurilo Verduo, 36, was arrested on July 26 on several counts of sexual battery involving a minor. He is being held without bond at Palm Beach County Jail and is forbidden to have contact with anyone under the age of 18. It is unclear if he has hired an attorney.

According to the arrest report, the child, now 16 years old, told police that the sexual assault occurred on three occasions: when the child was 10, 13, and 15. At age 10, Verduo allegedly asked the child to meet him for a “kiss and hug.” He told the child he wanted sex a few years later and raped the 13-year-old behind a home in West Palm Beach. He raped the child once more two years later.

The age of consent in Florida is 18. People aged between 16 and 17 can give consent to an older partner up to the age of 23, but anyone over 24 who has sex with a minor is committing a felony.

Florida Sexual Battery Attorney

If you are involved in a sexual battery case, then you should hire an attorney. Contact us to set up a free initial consultation and work with one of Florida’s most experienced sexual battery attorneys.

Source: 7.29.18 Mother finds 13-year-old daughter having sex with man outside home, police say.pdf