A Central Florida man was found guilty of child sex offense charges.
This month, a jury found 27-year-old Joshua Aaron Schuler guilty of one felony count of Lewd and Lascivious Molestation of a Child Less than 12 Years of Age and one count of Use of a Child in a Sexual Performance.
After being found guilty, Schuler was ordered into custody to await his sentencing hearing which will take place on August 19, 2024.
“The complainant in this case helped save this child from any further harm,” said Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Bill Gladson. “If you find evidence that a crime has been committed or believe someone is engaging in illegal acts, please report it immediately because every second counts in apprehending these types of predators.”
On September 17, 2022, deputies with the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) originally responded to a residence in Homosassa in reference to a call for service. Upon arrival, deputies were informed by the complainant that there was a video of Schuler molesting the victim, who was a five-year-old child.
The complainant stated the night prior, they had gone through the defendant’s phone and had located a video in the recently deleted file. The complainant went on to further advise that the video, timestamped September 3, 2022, at 1:32am, depicted Schuler molesting the victim.
CCSO’s Special Victims Unit Detective Richey responded to investigate. After speaking with the complainant, Det. Richey made contact with Schuler. During their interview with him, Schuler denied the allegations but could not provide an explanation for the video. Officials subsequently arrested Schuler on a warrant for this case.
This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Kevin Davis.
