Bradenton Man Tried To Meet 13-Year-Old For Sex: FL Sheriff

PUNTA GORDA, FL — A 20-year-old Bradenton man was arrested Friday for meeting a 13-year-old girl for sex in Charlotte County, authorities said.

Kevin Lopez Perez was charged with lewd or lascivious battery (victim 12 years or older, but less than 16) and traveling to meet a minor after using a computer to lure a child, the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

Both charges are second-degree felonies.

Investigators learned that Perez came to the 2500 block of Luther Road in Punta Gorda to meet the girl with whom he’d been communicating.

There was a sexual encounter between Perez and the child in December, which the victim’s family eventually learned about, the sheriff’s office said.

He returned to her family’s home, seeking another sexual encounter with her, on Thursday night, but was intercepted by her family, detectives said.

The family contacted the sheriff’s office. Deputies found him in his vehicle near the victim’s home and took him into custody.

While interviewing Perez, he admitted to detectives that he had sex with the victim.

“Few things in the world upset me as much as someone who does harm to a child,” Sheriff Bill Prummell said. “As I have said many times before, I have absolutely no tolerance for this vile crime and no sympathy for these offenders. He is where he belongs now. Thank you to the family for recognizing the situation and calling us to come put a stop to it. I pray for them and for the child victim.”

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