MARION COUNTY, Fla. – A man accused of molesting two juveniles in Marion County has been arrested, yet investigators believe he may have victimized even more children.
Geraldo Rivera-Serrano, 62, is being held on no bond as he faces charges of lewd or lascivious molestation of a child older than 12 and six counts of lewd or lascivious molestation of a child younger than 12, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
The two victims on Feb. 6 told investigators that Rivera-Serrano had subjected them to long-term sexual abuse, the release states. They provided detailed accounts of how he would allegedly isolate himself with them, molest them in the guise of tickling or playing games and tell them that he wouldn’t do it to anyone else if they kept the abuse secret, according to the sheriff’s office.
A detective soon learned that Rivera-Serrano was on vacation in Puerto Rico. When he was confronted with the victims’ allegations, the sheriff’s office said Rivera-Serrano “employed methods of victim-blaming to create excuses for the crimes he committed and advised he was returning home early to speak with the victims.” Rivera-Serrano otherwise acknowledged molesting the victims while claiming he never meant to hurt them, the release states.
Rivera-Serrano was detained while pulling into his home along SW 128th Street and refused to speak to the detective without an attorney present, the sheriff’s office said. He was booked overnight and as of Friday is in the Marion County Jail while detectives continue investigating other possible incidents of sexual abuse by his hand, according to the release.
Anyone with information that could assist the investigation is urged to call Detective Osthed at 352-351-4710.