Illegal Immigrant From Honduras Arrested for Sexually Assaulting 13-Year-Old Florida Girl

A judges gavel rests on top of a desk in the courtroom in Miami, Fla., on Feb. 3, 2009. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) has announced that an illegal immigrant from Honduras was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a teenager and is asking for the public’s help as there may be additional victims.

The suspect, Santo Martinez Varela, was tracked down by detectives and arrested on Jan. 11 after DNA confirmed his identity, the PBSO announced on Facebook on Jan. 13.

Varela was then booked into Palm Beach County Jail, where he is being held without bail on sexual assault, kidnapping, and also armed robbery, according to inmate records.

Aside from the 13-year-old girl, other robbery victims of the suspect were found.

“Two victims of robbery have been located,” PBSO media relations spokesperson Therese Barbera told The Epoch Times via email on Jan. 14.

She also said Varela has “a detainer from ICE.”

A detainer from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a request from the agency that asks federal, state, or local law enforcement to notify ICE before a noncitizen is released and to hold that person for up to an additional 48 hours, which allows ICE time to take custody of the noncitizen.

According to the sheriff’s office, an investigation revealed Varela crossed the border illegally in 2023 and then traveled to West Palm Beach, where he sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl in early January.

“To anyone thinking of committing these kinds of heinous crimes in Palm Beach County: We will find you. Justice will be served,” the sheriff’s office wrote on Facebook.

The PBSO said there may be additional victims and is asking for the public’s help.

“Our investigation into Santo Martinez Varela is ongoing, and detectives now believe there may be additional victims,” the PBSO wrote. “If you recognize him or had any encounters with him, this is your chance to get the justice you deserve. We’re committed to ensuring every victim’s voice is heard.”

It asked the public to report information to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS(8477) or Detective Skuza at [email protected] or 561/688-4004.

According to the police, Varela allegedly approached the victim and began to sexually assault her in the vicinity of Pinehurst Park and Forest Hill Boulevard after 11 p.m. on Jan. 2.

Many expressed outrage on social media at the sexual assault of a teenager at the hands of an illegal immigrant.

“Keep him locked up until next Monday ... then 47 will handle it,” wrote author Zack Zehnder on Facebook, referring to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20.

Trump has vowed to sign executive orders immediately after he takes office to secure the border and deport criminal illegal immigrants.

“President-elect Trump was elected with a mandate to stop illegal immigration and deport illegal aliens already in our country,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wrote on social media platform X on Jan. 13,

“State and local officials in Florida will actively facilitate the Trump Administration’s policies against illegal immigration, and to do that we need to immediately set aside and approve the necessary funding and resources now.”

The governor has called for a special session on Jan. 27 to appropriate funding to carry out Trump’s mission on illegal immigration.

Trump responded to DeSantis’s post on Truth Social, writing: “Thank you, Ron. Hopefully other governors will follow.”