A disturbing incident unfolded in St. Lucie County where authorities have arrested a man for trying to kidnap and sexually assault a teenager. The suspect, identified as 33-year-old Jerry Cherisme, allegedly grabbed the underage girl outside a gas station and attempted to coercively move her behind a building, as per reports from WPBF.
The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office statement elaborated that Cherisme approached the victim from behind, wrapping his arms around her and tried to pull her away while making inappropriate comments, "He had told her that, 'Today's my birthday, I have large genitalia,' then he grabbed her," Sheriff Keith Pearson described, Cherisme was later found and apprehended by deputies in a nearby community, in a statement obtained by WPTV.
The teenager managed to escape and alerted the authorities from inside the gas station, potential psychological implications of the event were noted by Sheriff Pearson who said, "She's going to be traumatized, that's the reality of it." In addition to announcing the arrest, the Sheriff's Office also released body camera footage substantiating the incident's urgency and Cherisme’s subsequent confession, according to WPTV.
Cherisme's background was discussed by Sheriff Pearson, who revealed he was born in Haiti, has resided in the United States for some time, and possesses permanent residence status, yet "We do not have any documented criminal history, but we believe he is homeless and living in the Port St. Lucie area," Pearson said in the video posted on the official Facebook page of the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office. The community had been commended for their swift action in reporting the incident, which led to Cherisme's arrest, "His behavior is horrendous and repulsive and will not be tolerated here in St. Lucie County," Pearson asserted according to WPTV.
Those with any information regarding the suspect or who believe they may have been a victim of Cherisme are encouraged to contact law enforcement authorities, as further investigation into his activities is ongoing. The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office has reached out to the community in an effort to ascertain further details and potentially identify additional victims.
