A Florida man who was released from prison in July is behind bars again for having sex with an underage missing teen girl.
Fox 8 reports that Flor-Adam Brandon Cruz, 24, was arrested during “Operation Social Bust,” where undercover authorities pose as minors to lure in sexual predators. During the operation, one of the undercover detectives came into contact with Cruz while posing as a teen girl online.
According to court documents, Cruz is the one who initiated contact with the detective, who he thought was a minor female, and began sending explicit messages. Detectives later arrested Cruz during a traffic stop in Brandon, ABC Tampa Bay reports.
While searching the suspect’s phone, authorities found evidence that Cruz used an Uber to transport a 15-year-old missing girl to him, where they engaged in sexual activities on at least two different occasions. The girl, according to police, had been reported missing out of Pinellas County.
Authorities said Cruz recorded the sexual acts and left the evidence on his cellphone.
“It sickens me that this convicted sex offender continued to prey on children even after serving time in prison for his heinous acts,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “Had it not been for the thorough investigative work of our detectives well after Operation Social Bust ended, we would have never known about this juvenile who Cruz was taking advantage of repeatedly.”
Cruz is now facing the following charges:
- Lewd and lascivious battery
- Promotion of a sexual performance by a child
- Interference with a child custody
- Traveling to meet a minor using computer services/devices to solicit illegal acts
- Violation of probation
- Transmission of harmful material to a minor
- Unlawful use of a two-way communications device
At the time of his arrest, Cruz was on probation until 2032 after his release from the Florida State Prison, for lewd and lascivious battery on a minor.
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[Feature Photo: Flor-Adam Brandon Cruz/Police Handout]
