Deputies: DeLand man accused of taping up girls, molesting one of them
DELAND, Fla. - A DeLand man is behind bars after deputies say he used tape to restrain two young girls and then sexually abused one of them.
Gabriel Vertiz, 39, is facing several charges including false imprisonment of a child under 13 with lewd and lascivious assault.
Deputies say Vertiz is accused of abusing two juvenile females, both of whom are familiar with him.
"In one case, he is accused of sexually abusing the juvenile by binding her with tape and touching her inappropriately on more than one occasion. In the second case, he is accused of using tape to bind her, but not touching her in a sexual manner," the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said.
Deputies interviewed the victims and family members. A search warrant was executed for deputies to gather evidence from Vertiz's home.
Vertiz was arrested on Thursday at a construction site where he was working in Hillsborough County. He remains in the Hillsborough County Jail with no bail allowed.
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