FL - Missing 13-year old girl found with 38-year old man she met online - Sep 18, 2024

[Niner]

Wednesday, Sept. 3rd:
*Change of Plea Hearing (@ 9am ET) - FL - 13-year-old girl [who was reported missing 9/14/24 after she vanished from her Plant City home was found in South Florida on 9/18/24 following a day long search]. *Edward Joseph Rodriguez (38/now 39) arrested (9/17/24), charged (9/18/24) & arraigned (11/13/24) with 2nd degree lewd/Lasc Molest victim & misdemeanor provide aid to minor. Written Plea of not guilty (9/17/24). Bond $30K Surety bond. Posted bond (9/20/24). Bond was revoked on 12/2/24 & re arrested. Plead not guilty (11/13/24). Broward County
Judge Lorena V. Mastrarrigo presiding. Defense attorney Jack Palmer.
Case & Court info from 9/17/24 thru 3/20/25 reference post #19 here:
https://websleuths.com/threads/fl-m...ar-old-man-she-met-online-sep-18-2024.724316/
5/28/25 Update: Status conference heard & held. Next status conference hearing on 6/30/25 @ 9am. 6/30/25 Update: Next change of plea hearing on 9/3/25 @ 9am.

 

[Niner]

@tlcya - the court site is down or it is not letting me search - and I am not finding any current articles on his plea hearing. Do you have any luck? TIA!

 

[tlcya]

@Niner With the change in plea to nolo contendere on 9-3-25 the case status is listed as closed - probation.

His sentence was as follows:

09/03/2025 (2) Probation / Community Control (Judicial Officer(s): Mastrarrigo, Lorena V)
Provisions: Provisions ( Court Costs Not a Condition of Probation, No contact with Victim, Waive COS) Special Provisions(Defendant Sentenced Under Sentencing Guidelines) Comment(Negotiated Plea)
Comment (No New Offenses; No return to location of Incident; Have a psych-sexual evaluation within 30 Days of release with recommendations; No unsupervised contact with anyone under age 18. )
State Probation ( 5 Year(s), Start Date: 09/03/2025, End Date: 09/03/2030 )
- Broward County Clerk of Courts

 

[Niner]

@Niner With the change in plea to nolo contendere on 9-3-25 the case status is listed as closed - probation.

His sentence was as follows:

09/03/2025 (2) Probation / Community Control (Judicial Officer(s): Mastrarrigo, Lorena V)
Provisions: Provisions ( Court Costs Not a Condition of Probation, No contact with Victim, Waive COS) Special Provisions(Defendant Sentenced Under Sentencing Guidelines) Comment(Negotiated Plea)
Comment (No New Offenses; No return to location of Incident; Have a psych-sexual evaluation within 30 Days of release with recommendations; No unsupervised contact with anyone under age 18. )
State Probation ( 5 Year(s), Start Date: 09/03/2025, End Date: 09/03/2030 )
- Broward County Clerk of Courts

Thanks a bunch! I can not put this case on my "shelf".