Man Found Guilty of Sexually Battering Child in His Custody

A man who had been sexually abusing a child in his guardianship has been found guilty of two counts of “Sexual Battery upon a Child under 12 years of age by a Person in Familial Custody.”

Investigations revealed that Joshua Velez, 43, sexually battered the child on a regular basis while the pair lived in Kentucky, Georgia and Spring Hill, Florida. He gained guardianship of the child in 2017.

Tragically, the child stated that at first, Velez treated him better than his parents and fed him well and took care of him. The abuse began about one and a half years after Velez gained custody when the child was about ten years old.

In January 2020, the child eventually spoke up about his situation to another adult whom they had lived with for a short period of time when they first moved to Spring Hill.

She filed for guardianship and Velez moved back to Kentucky.

An investigation was launched in Kentucky in June 2020 and extended to Spring Hill, Florida.
At first, the child did not admit that any sexual abuse occurred in Spring Hill. He did say that he thought his younger brother and another person had been abused by Velez.

Through counseling services at the Child Advocacy Center, the child was eventually able to admit that he was sexually abused by Velez while they lived in Spring Hill.

The child’s younger brother told an HCSO investigator that Velez had also sexually battered him and threatened to harm his family or take away his brother forever if he ever objected.

Velez will be sentenced on October 24, 2024. A related case against Velez with two charges of Lewd and Lascivious Molestation on a victim between 12 and 16 years of age is ongoing.