ST. LUCIE COUNTY – Two adults were arrested and charged with sexual abuse of two juveniles by St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, stemming from an incident on Oct. 17, according to sheriff’s reports.
On Oct. 17, a school resource deputy assigned to a local elementary school was alerted to an incident involving an 11-year-old fifth-grade student. The student reportedly showed another child an explicit image on the student’s phone while riding the school bus, according to sheriff’s office reports.
When questioned, the juvenile said that the juvenile was the victim of sexual abuse by an adult which did not happen on school property, according to sheriff’s office reports. The Sheriff’s Office is not naming the school the juveniles attend nor the gender of the juveniles.
The juveniles identified the two adults who allegedly conducted the abuse, according to sheriff’s office reports.
The first suspect, Tayler Difrancesco, 19, of Vero Beach, was brought in for questioning and, based on the initial investigation, was arrested and charged with two counts of sexual battery by an offender, 18 or older, on a victim under 12; one count of lewd or lascivious conduct; and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
A second suspect, Arthur Douglas Brown, 20, of Fort Pierce, was located and interviewed by Criminal Investigation Division detectives on Oct. 20. Following the interview and further evidence gathered, Brown was arrested and charged with two counts of sexual battery by an offender, 18 or older on a victim under 12; one count of lewd or lascivious conduct; and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
As of Oct. 21, Brown is being held on a $60,000 bond while Difrancesco has a $20,000 bond at the St. Lucie County Jail.
Anyone with further information is asked to St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division at 772-462-3260.