Man awaiting trial for sexually abusing a minor has been rearrested on similar charges

ST. CROIX – A man currently out on bail awaiting trial for sexually abusing two minor children has been rearrested for allegedly abusing a third child in a similar manner.

According to court documents, a woman went to police on July 18 to report that a minor family member had been sexually abused by an older relative, Maximiliano Velasquez Jr. The woman stated that she had left her home earlier in the week to go to the supermarket, leaving Velasquez and the young girl behind. When she returned, the girl told her that her adult male relative had put his hand down her shirt.

When confronted, Velasquez reportedly admitted the incident and apologized, saying he didn’t know what had gotten into him.

The girl confirmed the details to police, saying that when Velasquez began touching her in this way, she immediately ran out of the room to tell someone who was in the house. She told police officers that she felt uncomfortable and scared after the incident.

Velasquez himself appeared at the police station on Monday morning and admitted to police that he had put his hand down the girl’s shirt while they were sitting together in the living room. He reiterated his apology and again said he did not know why he did it.

He was immediately arrested and charged with first-degree sexual abuse as an act of domestic violence and child abuse. At the time of the incident last Thursday, Velazquez was free on bail awaiting trial for sexual abuse of two children.

He was arrested in October 2020 after complaints from two minor relatives that he had assaulted them, one of them repeatedly. He pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree unlawful sexual contact as an act of domestic violence and two counts of child abuse in that incident. Trial on the 2020 charges is set for February 3, 2025, with an evidentiary hearing scheduled for later this month.

Following his arrest last week, Velasquez appeared before Judge Ernest Morris Jr., who found probable cause to maintain the assault and battery charges against him, but dismissed the domestic violence charge. Bail was set at $60,000, but Mr. Velasquez was allowed to sign an unsecured bond for the full amount.

After his release from custody, he will be placed under house arrest and electronic monitoring for 24 hours. His next court date is scheduled for August 7.