A Miramar man has been taken into custody on allegations of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old boy with autism, a child he reportedly met online. Joshua Ronald Willis, 24, faces severe legal repercussions following his arrest on Sunday, including two counts of sexual battery and one count of using a computer to lure a child followed by travelling to meet him. The arrest was confirmed by NBC Miami.
The disturbing interaction began on WhatsApp, where Willis and the young boy struck up communication. It escalated on Friday when Willis allegedly picked the boy up from Rosa Price Park and proceeded to drive to a nearby shopping center's parking lot in Pembroke Pines. According to an arrest report made public and cited by Local 10, what followed was a sexual assault in the backseat of Willis' car.
The boy's location, typically expected at his educational institution, was instead flagged at McDonald's within the shopping center, which roused his father's suspicion. This discovery ultimately led to Willis hastily driving the young victim back to his school, only to leave behind the boy's school identification in the vehicle. According to the arrest documentation obtained by NBC Miami, these events helped police to "should've known that the juvenile victim was a minor."
Since the arrest, Willis has appeared in court, where he was appointed a public defender and ordered to be held without bond. He currently remains in jurisdiction of the Broward Sheriff’s Office Main Jail, with strict orders to have no contact with the victim or any other minors and is barred from using or possessing devices with internet access.
