Man who lived in Hernando teen’s bedroom for weeks sentenced to 10 years in prison

SPRING HILL — A man who admitted to living off-and-on with a teen in her parent’s home last September entered a guilty plea Wednesday on charges of lewd and lascivious behavior with a victim between the age of 12 and 16.

Johnathan Lee Rossmoine, 36, was issued a 15-year prison sentence by the Hernando County District Court. He will also receive 10 years of sex offender probation upon his release and will be required to report as a sex offender until he dies, according to court documents.

A resident of Louisiana, Hernando Sheriff deputies said Rossmoine regularly traveled to Florida to have sexual encounters with a teenager while living in the child’s bedroom for several weeks. He would hide while the child’s parents were home, then come out after they left for work.

Rossmoine was arrested last year after the parents found him hiding in a closet.

The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office said Rossmoine told them that he traveled from Louisiana to Spring Hill on several occasions to have sexual encounters with the teen, and that he had been in Hernando County for about five weeks on his latest trip.

The teen told deputies last September that she considered Rossmoine to be her boyfriend.

Rossmoine said he met the child through an online chatting app that allowed users to speak through text and voice using virtual avatars. The teen told deputies that they initially lied about their age, claiming to be at least 18 years old.

Deputies say the teen did admit their real age — 15 years old — prior to the two meeting in person.

The Sheriff’s Office said that Rossmoine had a sexual relationship with the teen for two years prior to his arrest.