JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (WFLA) — A former detective with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Workplace was sentenced to greater than 24 years in jail for engaging a baby to have interaction in sexual exercise, the Division of Justice introduced.
Josue Garriga, 35, of St. Augustine was a detective with the gang unit on the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Workplace when he met a 17-year-old at church in 2023, in keeping with court docket paperwork.
He pursued a sexual relationship with the minor sufferer till round March 7, 2024.
Garriga reached below the sufferer’s skirt whereas she labored serving espresso earlier than church service, and used his JSO-issued cellphone and an undercover social media account to get involved with the sufferer and get her cellphone quantity, the court docket doc stated.
Utilizing his private cellphone, he communicated with the sufferer and directed their messages to an encrypted app that will delete the messages after 24 hours.
In line with the paperwork, Garriga requested nude pictures from the sufferer and despatched nude pictures of himself to the sufferer.
Garriga met up with the sufferer at a espresso store in Clay County and enticed her to his JSO work car the place he engaged in sexual exercise with the minor and bodily restrained her from leaving the car till she relented and carried out a intercourse act on him, in keeping with court docket paperwork.
He additionally used his JSO work car on at the very least two events to drive to the sufferer’s neighborhood to fulfill up along with her and interact in sexual contact that was unlawful below Florida regulation, in keeping with the Division of Justice.
“This particular person violated his place of belief in the neighborhood and sought to reap the benefits of a baby for his personal satisfaction,” stated Tim Hemker, Assistant Particular Agent in Cost for Homeland Safety Investigations in Jacksonville.
He entered a responsible plea on July 16, 2024, and remained in custody following the sentencing listening to.
Garriga was sentenced to 24 years and 4 months in jail. Following his launch, he’s required to register as a intercourse offender and have supervised launch for 10 years.
