A 29-year-old security guard from Delray Beach was arrested Saturday after a 16-year-old told West Palm Beach police he offered her a ride, drove her to a construction site and sexually assaulted her multiple times. Yvenson St. Louis now faces three counts of sexual battery involving a victim older than 12 but younger than 18, along with one count of lewd or lascivious touching involving a 16- or 17-year-old victim.
According to a probable cause affidavit described by WPBF, the teen told investigators she was walking along Broadway Avenue when St. Louis approached and offered her a ride in his security vehicle. She reported that he then drove her to a construction site near 508 41st St., where the alleged assault happened on Oct. 21.
Teen Describes Assault and Fear of Being Armed
The teen told detectives that St. Louis entered the back seat of the vehicle and sexually assaulted her multiple times, according to the station's report. She also said he struck her in the face during the encounter and touched her breast. Per the same account, she told police she feared for her safety and believed St. Louis may have been armed because he was working as a security guard at the time.
The station's report also notes that after the alleged assault, St. Louis arranged transportation for the teen to return home, and the two exchanged phone numbers and later sent each other text messages. The teen later identified St. Louis in a photographic lineup and also identified his security vehicle, the article notes.
Detectives Track Down Suspect Three Days Later
Detectives located St. Louis in the 4200 block of Broadway on Oct. 24 and interviewed him, per the WPBF report. During that recorded interview, investigators said St. Louis admitted to having sexual intercourse with the teen and told detectives he believed she appeared to be between 16 and 17 years old.
Detectives obtained a DNA swab from St. Louis with his consent and reported observing what appeared to be dried semen on the front zipper area of his pants, according to the same account. St. Louis was then booked into the Palm Beach County Jail on the sexual battery and lewd or lascivious touching counts described above.
What Florida Law Says About Sexual Battery Charges
Under Florida Statutes Section 794.011, sexual battery includes oral, anal or vaginal penetration by, or union with, another person's sexual organ, as well as anal or vaginal penetration by another object, except for bona fide medical purposes. The statute states that sexual battery committed against a person age 12 or older without consent, and without physical force likely to cause serious personal injury, is a felony of the second degree. The same provision classifies sexual battery involving a deadly weapon, or involving actual physical force likely to cause serious personal injury, as a life felony.
The investigation remains ongoing, according to WPBF, and no court disposition or further case details have been made public.
