Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Sarasota sheriff credits media for arrest in Walmart child molestation case

 Cesario Jasso-Carrizales

Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight handed out props to the local news media after a woman called authorities to say she recognized from news coverage the man deputies were looking for in their investigation of a child molestation at a local Walmart store.

Cesario Jasso-Carrizales, 39, was arrested earlier today and charged with molesting an 11-year-old girl at the Walmart store on Cattlemen Drive in Sarasota. The sheriff's office publicized the case on Tuesday by releasing video and still photos taken by security cameras at the store showing the man investigators say was their suspect.

After seeing the images, a woman called the sheriff's office to say that the man was Jasso-Carrizales and that he was working for her husband at a Sarasota construction site. Deputies brought Jasso-Carrizales in for questioning at 7:15 a.m., and at 9 a.m. he was arrested and charged with lewd or lascivious molestation, according to the sheriff's office.

“Thanks to the media’s help, the suspect’s picture was everywhere last night,” Knight said. “We knew someone would recognize him, and we’re grateful that this citizen was compelled to turn him in before he could hurt another child.”

According to a news release,  Jasso-Carrizales told investigators he arrived illegally in the United States from Mexico five years ago and that he had committed a similar assault in Lakeland.



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