A 45-year-old man, Jose Alvarado, has been brought into custody in Osceola County on charges involving the sexual abuse of minors. Alvarado is facing multiple charges including lewd and lascivious battery, unlawful sex with certain minors, and possession of child pornography, as reported by WESH.
The Osceola County Sheriff's Office claims that Alvarado admitted to engaging in sexual acts with a boy under 18 years old. Alvarado met the minor on Grindr, a dating app designed for men and gender-nonconforming adults. According to the Sheriff's Office, he believed the boy to be 18 at the time of the sexual acts, but officials maintain "Became clear Alvarado knew or should have reasonably known the victim was not an adult," as per Around Osceola.
The initial investigation that began in March led to the discovery of child pornography on Alvarado's mobile device and an arrest warrant was issued thereafter. Alvarado was subsequently arrested after a traffic stop where he was encountered by another juvenile whom he claimed was his nephew. The juvenile in the car disclosed that he had had sexual relations with Alvarado at least twice and was, in fact, not Alvarado's nephew.
Further intricacies of the case involve a relative of the juvenile. The boy's mother was brought to the Sheriff’s Office and in a statement, she indicated that she knew of her son's relationship with Alvarado. She, however, refused to cooperate with further questioning by the authorities and is now facing charges for contributing to the delinquency of a minor for her alleged complicity in the relationship, according to WESH.
The sheriff's officials have not released further details surrounding the investigation or the condition of the minors involved. Jose Alvarado has been booked into the Osceola County Jail without bond pending further legal proceedings.
