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Pinellas Deputies: Palmetto Man Sexually Battered Child

Luis Salitre Hernandez

Pinellas deputies said he told them that he had “confessed” to Palmetto Police Department detectives and apologized for his actions.

PINELLAS COUNTY – A Palmetto man was arrested today (Oct. 24) in connection with the molestation and sexual battery of a child, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said.

Luis Salitre-Hernandez, 22, of Palmetto, was charged with three counts of capital sexual battery and two counts of lewd or lascivious molestation with victim under 12. She was between the ages of 5 and 10 years old when the incidents took place in Pinellas County, deputies said.

The warrant was served about 11:30 a.m. at the Manatee County Jail, where Salitre-Hernandez is in custody on a separate charge of Sexual Battery with the same girl. He will later be transferred to Pinellas County to face those charges.

Pinellas sheriff’s detectives began their investigation Oct. 5 after receiving information from the Clearwater Police Department about an ongoing sexual battery happening in the jurisdiction of the sheriff’s office.

Salitre-Hernandez engaged in inappropriate sexual activity with the victim at three locations throughout Pinellas County and one location in Manatee County, deputies said. The inappropriate activity happened between August 2012 and January 2018. Detectives from the Palmetto Police Department were notified of the alleged offense occurring within their jurisdiction.

On Oct. 11, Palmetto police arrested Salitre-Hernandez and charged him with one count of sexual battery. Deputies said that, during his interview with police, Salitre-Hernanez admitted to all allegations happening in Pinellas and Manatee counties.

On Oct. 19, Pinellas detectives interviewed Salitre-Hernandez at the Manatee County Jail in Palmetto. Salitre-Hernandez told them he had “confessed” to Palmetto police detectives and apologized for his actions.

Pinellas Sheriff | Palmetto Police | Crime | Arrests | Tampabay News

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