Illegal Alien Charged with Sexual Assaulting Eight-Year-Old Girl
An illegal alien in Florida has been charged with sexual battery of a child after allegedly climbing into bed with an eight-year-old girl and assaulting her.
Wilibaldo Salinas Garcia was arrested on Friday in Polk County, Florida. Garcia admitted to the assault during a recorded phone call and in a series of text messages, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation began Aug. 24, when the girl told her mother Garcia went into her room while she was sleeping reports the Tampa Bay Times. The Sheriff’s Office said Garcia “digitally penetrated her and forced her to touch him.” The girl attempted to roll away, but he pulled her back over. Eventually, she told him she had to use the bathroom and hid until he left her room.
In text messages released by deputies between Garcia and the victim’s mother, Garcia said he was drunk and didn’t remember the incident, then apologized.
“Sorry won’t cut it for this guy; he’s only sorry that he was caught,” Sheriff Grady Judd said. “He tried to prevent getting caught by telling the girl that if she told her mother, her mother would hit her.
The Tampa Bay Times further reported, “Garcia’s criminal history includes misdemeanor charges for resisting arrest, loitering and marijuana possession, the Sheriff’s Office said. When he was arrested, a check of the National Crime Information Center and Florida Crime Information Center revealed Garcia was in the country illegally.
“Deputies said Garcia fled the country in 2013 when he was suspected of sexually battering another girl in his family. Garcia’s family told deputies he hadn’t been seen in Polk County again until late 2017 when he contacted them.”
Sexual battery is a capital felony in Florida meaning that if Garcia is convicted he could face life in prison or the death penalty.