DeLand Man Arrested, Charged With Taping Up 2 Juvenile Girls

Date Added: December 19, 2019 5:14 pm

Laura Williams,
Office of Public Affairs & Media Relations

DELAND MAN, 39, CHARGED WITH ABUSING GIRLS
Suspect Accused of Taping Up 2 Juveniles, Touching 1 Inappropriately

A DeLand man was arrested Thursday and charged with using tape to restrain two young girls and sexually abusing one of them.

Gabriel Vertiz, 39 (DOB 12/25/1979) is charged with false imprisonment of a child under 13 with lewd and lascivious assault; lewd/lascivious molestation; and false imprisonment of a child under 13.

Vertiz was arrested today at a construction site where he was working in Hillsborough County. He is accused of abusing two juvenile females, both of whom are known to him and 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.

Detectives and a child protection team have conducted interviews with the victims and family members. Detectives executed a search warrant at Vertiz’s home and gathered physical evidence for further investigation.

Vertiz was transported Thursday to the Hillsborough County Jail where he remains held with no bail allowed.