‘Neighborhood taxi driver’ accused of fondling teen girl over several years in Florida
A “neighborhood taxi driver” is accused of kidnapping and fondling a teen girl over the course of three years, Florida authorities said.
The 16-year-old and her mother reported the incidents to the Haines City Police Department on June 21, the department said in a news release.
The girl was about 13 years old when she started taking a ride service from 43-year-old Lorenzo De Jesus-Lopez on occasion, police said. During the three years, Jesus-Lopez groped her thighs and asked her to have sex with him on two occasions, police said.
During the incidents, the driver “fondled her breasts” after she told him to stop, according to police.
Jesus-Lopez is also accused of driving the girl to a “dark construction site against her will” two times, the release said. Once he parked, Jesus-Lopez reportedly got into the backseat with the victim and tried to convince her to have sex with him, according to police.
“She told him, in no uncertain terms, that she did not want him to touch her and requested he take her back home,” police said. “On one occasion, he offered to pay her $600 for sex. The girl said she told him to ‘stop’ and ‘take me home.’”
After the girl’s report, officers found Jesus-Lopez at his home on the evening of June 21 and brought him to the police department, the release said.
Jesus-Lopez initially denied the incidents but later said he touched the victim’s breast once in the construction site parking lot, according to police.
Jesus-Lopez faces two counts of committing an unnatural or lascivious act, two counts of kidnapping, two counts of battery and one count of solicitation of prostitution, according to the release. He was booked into the Polk County Jail.
Police did not list attorney information for him.
Interim Haines City Police Chief Loyd Stewart commended the teen for speaking up about the situation and encouraged the public to be cautious about who they choose to take rides from.
“Anyone who thinks it is OK to prey on our city’s young people like this should know that we have ride share program just for you. But it goes straight to the Polk County Jail,” Stewart said in the release.
If anyone has information about similar incidents involving the driver, they are asked to contact the Haines City Police Department.
Haines City is about 50 miles southwest of Orlando.
If you have experienced sexual assault and need someone to talk to, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline for support at 1-800-656-4673 or visit the hotline's online chatroom.
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