A 26-year-old West Palm Beach man was already being held in St. Lucie County Jail on an unrelated case when investigators sought a felony warrant after forensic testing linked him to a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl. Henoc Louis faces a charge of lewd or lascivious battery involving a victim between the ages of 12 and 16, according to court records cited in the case.
The case surfaced almost by accident. According to WPBF, detectives learned about the allegations in November 2023 while investigating a completely separate incident involving a stolen vehicle. That unrelated inquiry opened the door to a probe that would ultimately produce a forensic match and a request for a capias warrant months later.
Girl Described Months-Long Relationship, Investigators Say
Authorities said the teenage girl told investigators she had been involved in a sexual relationship with Louis for several months. She reported that their most recent sexual encounter took place on November 20, 2023, according to authorities. The girl was later interviewed by both law enforcement and child protection investigators, per the affidavit described in the station's report, and she allegedly described multiple encounters with Louis as well as specific locations where the sexual activity occurred.
Investigators said sexual-assault-kit evidence and DNA testing bolstered the case against Louis. Forensic testing, according to the same report, provided strong support that DNA collected during the exam matched the profiles of both the girl and Louis — a detail authorities say helped solidify the probable cause needed to move forward with charges.
Warrant Filed While Louis Was Already Behind Bars
Ocean Ridge Department of Public Safety investigators filed a request for a capias warrant for Louis on March 29, 2024. At the time, Louis was already being held in the St. Lucie County Jail on an unrelated case when the warrant request was filed, according to the report.
Authorities concluded there was probable cause to charge Louis with lewd or lascivious battery, a felony defined under Florida law, based on witness statements, interviews, and the forensic evidence gathered during the investigation. Jail records for St. Lucie County can be checked through the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office inmate lookup.
