A Palm Beach County man has been convicted of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in an attack near Okeeheelee Park in January 2025, following what prosecutors describe as a months-long investigation built on DNA evidence. Circuit Judge Sarah Willis has scheduled his sentencing for June 26, 2026, and the court has already entered a sexual-predator designation as part of the verdict.
The defendant, identified in court records as Santo Martinez Varela, was found guilty on four counts of sexual battery of a victim 12 to 17 years old, along with one count of false imprisonment and one count of lewd or lascivious molestation, according to WPBF. Court filings reviewed by WPBF indicate prosecutors leaned on DNA and other physical evidence to secure the convictions.
Investigation and arrest
The assault occurred on Jan. 2, 2025, near Okeeheelee Park, where the 13-year-old victim told investigators she was attacked after entering a bike trail and sitting down to use her cellphone, as reported by WPTV. Detectives said they used DNA technology to confirm the suspect's identity and located Martinez Varela on Jan. 11, 2025, according to the station's coverage of the case.
Linked cases and police search
Authorities also connected Martinez Varela to an attempted purse-snatching and a reported armed robbery in late December, local coverage shows. The Dec. 26 incident near Dudley Drive E and Cresthaven Boulevard, along with the use of residential search warrants that led investigators to a vehicle tied to the probe, were described in initial case coverage, and prosecutors brought those related counts alongside the sexual-assault charges as the case moved toward trial.
What the sexual-predator label means
Under Florida law, a court must enter a written finding in order to designate someone a sexual predator, and that label carries ongoing registration and notification requirements, according to Fla. Stat. §775.21 and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The Florida Sexual Predators Act requires those designated to register and can trigger community notification, while the Florida Department of Law Enforcement maintains the statewide registry and related enforcement guidance.
Next steps
Martinez Varela remains held without bond as he awaits the June 26, 2026, sentencing hearing, and investigators have urged anyone with additional information to contact Crime Stoppers or the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. The initial arrest and officials' plea for witnesses were first reported in January 2025, when detectives brought the case into court, a timeline outlined by WPTV.
