The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday arrested a man accused of molesting a local teenager. 18-year-old Josiah Morales was charged with lewd or lascivious battery on a victim 12 to 16 years old.
According to a release from the FCSO, on May 9th a guidance counselor at one of Flagler’s public schools contacted a school resource deputy. They told them about an apparent sexual offense recently committed against a student they’d spoken with. The guidance counselor reportedly described a situation in which the 13-year-old had been involved in full intercourse with the perpetrator. At this point, Morales was identified as the alleged perpetrator.
The school resource deputy spoke to the victim about what had happened, and then reported what they’d heard to the FCSO’s Major Case Unit. An investigation was launched, involving major case detectives and a child protective investigator with the Florida Department of Children and Families.
Background and Offense
The victim is said to have first met Morales a few weeks before the alleged molestation. They were both apparently at the residence of a mutual friend. Morales is said to have told that friend that he had interest in the victim, at which point the friend reportedly told Morales how young they were. Per the FCSO, they even told Morales the victim wouldn’t be willing to engage in sexual activities if he attempted it.
At this point, Morales is said to have gotten the victim’s phone number out of the friend’s contact list. Communications were initiated, and a meeting was arranged. Morales is accused of bringing the victim back to their friend’s residence with him, where they engaged in intercourse repeatedly. The FCSO said that at least once the victim said they felt Morales coerced them to do it.
Interviewing and Arresting Josiah Morales
Detectives later interviewed Morales at his F Section residence. He was said to have told them he was under the impression that the victim was 15 years old. Florida’s age of consent is 18, though sexual activity is legal with a partner as young as 16 provided the other participant is 23 or younger. Even in Morales’ scenario, intercourse between an 18-year-old and a 15-year-old would have still been illegal. The same clearly applies for their actual ages.
ⓒ Flagler County Sheriff’s Office
A warrant for Morales’ arrest was obtained on Wednesday. He was taken into custody at his residence and booked into the county jail. He remains there as of Friday on $30,000 bond.
“I commend this victim for speaking up and reporting this incident to their guidance counselor,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “This man took advantage of a young victim. I commend our detectives in the Major Case Unit and our partners at both the DCF and the State Attorney’s Office for their collaborative work on this case so that we could arrest him and take him to the [county jail] before he had more opportunities to take the innocence away from more young victims.”
