A Louisiana man has been jailed for 15 years after officers found him hiding in the closet of a 15-year-old’s bedroom and admitting to having sex with her.
The man pleaded guilty to having sexual relations with a minor after traveling over 700 miles to stay with her.
The parents of the 15-year-old girl found him hiding in their child’s bedroom in September 2020 and alerted police. Deputies said when they arrived, 36-year-old Johnathan Rossmoine was still hiding in the closet.
The man told deputies he drove from Louisiana to Spring Hill, Florida several times to have sex with the 15-year-old and had been living off and on in the teen’s bedroom since August 19, 2020.
He would hide in the closet when the victim’s parents were home, only coming out when they left for work, according to Hernando County Sheriff’s Department.
Police said the teen met the man about two years ago while using an online chatting app.
The man said numerous sexual encounters also took place in his van, which was parked close to the victim’s house.
The child, who referred to the man as “a boyfriend,” had told him she was 18 but admitted to being 15 before they met in person, sheriff’s deputies said.
The man was charged with four counts of lewd and lascivious behavior with a victim between the ages of 12 and 16, obscene communication, and traveling to meet after using a computer to lure a child.
In addition to the 15-year sentence, Rossmoine will receive 10 years of sex offender probation upon his release and be required to report as a sexual offender for the rest of his life.
The possibility of additional charges is pending further investigation, as per the sheriff’s office, via its Facebook page.
I don’t feel 15 years is enough for this clearly dangerous man. I only hope that the victim is now safe and has the love and support needed to heal from such a horrific time in her life.
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