Two men were arrested Monday after Fort Lauderdale police say a 17-year-old boy was sexually assaulted inside a hidden tarp-covered campsite at a city park in the Lauderdale Manors neighborhood. Officers detained three men at the scene and later charged two of them with sexual battery on a victim aged 16 or 17. Detectives say the investigation is still active as they collect statements and evidence.
What police say happened
According to Local 10 News, arrest documents say the teen boarded a bus after school and noticed a man taking photographs at the main bus terminal. The man later got on the same bus, and both ended up getting off at Mills Pond Park.
The report says the teen followed a trail in the park and was then confronted by three men who guided him down what was described in the paperwork as a "secret passageway" leading to a makeshift tent built from tarps.
Alleged assault described in arrest papers
Local 10 News reports that the documents identify 56-year-old Leonard Allen and 32-year-old Jack Martinez Rojas as the suspects. The paperwork states that Allen pulled the victim's pants down and performed oral sex on him, then had sex with Martinez Rojas in front of the teen.
The victim told detectives he felt "afraid" during the encounter but did not say so out loud because of the suspects' appearances, according to the report.
Where it happened
Mills Pond Park, a neighborhood recreation area in Lauderdale Manors, is listed by the City of Fort Lauderdale at 2201 NW 9th Ave. The park includes trails, athletic fields and a recreation center, and is managed by Fort Lauderdale Parks & Recreation.
Arrests, custody and next steps
Police detained Allen, Martinez Rojas and a third man. Investigators say the third person did not engage with the victim and was not arrested.
Booking information is posted on the Broward Sheriff's Office website, and the public portal for those records is the Broward Sheriff's Office arrest search. Local 10 News reported that Broward jail logs showed Allen remained jailed on a parole violation, while Martinez Rojas was being held on an immigration hold as of Wednesday evening.
Legal context
Under Florida law, sexual activity between a person 24 or older and someone who is 16 or 17 is a felony, and the statutes provide for steeper penalties when more than one person commits sexual battery on the same victim. See the Florida sexual battery statutes on the Florida Senate site for the legal definitions and potential penalties.
The Fort Lauderdale Police Department's investigation remains active, and detectives are continuing to interview witnesses and review evidence. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Fort Lauderdale police.
