Suncoast man wanted for lewd and lescivious with a child under 12 is arrested in North Port
Francesco Abbruzzino, The Uncensored Report, LLC
Got him!
In June of 2025, Charlotte County Major Crimes Unit Detectives initiated an investigation and eventually obtained an arrest warrant for Juan Rafael Hernandez for lewd or lascivious molestation of a victim under twelve years of age. Hernandez, hearing word of the investigation, fled to the South Carolina area before he could be interviewed. His exact whereabouts were unknown. The Charlotte County Warrants Division continued to investigate Hernandez’s whereabouts, and on November 30, 2025, found him in North Port.
A Major Crimes Unit Detective, along with assistance from the North Port Police Department, obtained a confession to the acts he allegedly committed, and he was transported to the Sarasota County Jail where he is being held with no bond. Hernandez will later be transported to Charlotte County to face his charges.
Juan Rafael Hernandez was also determined to be a Guatemalan citizen who was deported in 2016 and re-entered the United States as a Family Unit in 2018. Due to issues with placement at that time, Hernandez was released with a court date. Hernandez failed to show up to court hearings for his refugee status. An ICE detainer has been placed on Hernandez.
“I’ve said it before; if you commit crimes in Charlotte County, we will find you. Others have tried to run, tried to hide, but ‘Never Quit’ is part of our mantra. Thank you to my Major Crimes and Warrants Units for their diligence in this case. No child should be subjected to this behavior, and now there’s one less individual to worry about out there in our community.”– Sheriff Bill Prummell
(Mugshot courtesy of Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office)
2025-12-04