A Miramar man is facing charges after police said he met up with and sexually battered a 12-year-old boy with autism who he met online.
Joshua Ronald Willis, 24, was arrested Sunday on two counts of sexual battery and one count of traveling to meet after using a computer to lure a child, Broward jail records showed.
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According to an arrest report, Willis met the 12-year-old, who has been diagnosed with autism, online and the two began communicating on WhatsApp.
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On Friday, Willis picked the boy up at a park in Pembroke Pines and drove him to a nearby shopping center.
While in the backseat of Willis' car, Willis removed his pants and underwear and told the boy to do the same before Willis sexually battered the victim, the report said.
After about 10 minutes, the victim's father started questioning his whereabouts since his phone showed him at the shopping center instead of at school, the report said.
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Willis then drove the victim to his school and dropped him off, but the victim left his school identification in Willis' car, the report said.
"Based on these circumstances, the suspect knew or should've known that the juvenile victim was a minor," the report said.
Willis was arrested by Pembroke Pines Police and booked into jail.
He later appeared in court where he was represented by public defender and ordered held without bond. He was also ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim or other minors, and can't use or possess devices with internet access.
