A Summerfield man has been arrested for molesting the underage child of a former co-worker and bragging about the experience to his associates.
Cameron Caley, 21, was brought into Marion County Jail earlier this month on a warrant issued out of Lake County for last year’s incident. He would later be transferred over to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office to be placed in county jail.
On May 17, 2023, an officer with the Leesburg Police Department responded to a sex offense complaint at an undisclosed Lake County address, according to an affidavit of probable cause out of Lake County.
Upon arrival, the officer met with the complainant, the victim’s mother. She stated that earlier that day, she had been informed by a former co-worker that another former co-worker, whom she identified as Caley, had been bragging to his co-workers about messing around with the victim, the affidavit said.
The complainant and her husband questioned the victim and asked if anything happened between them and Caley. The victim confirmed that an incident occurred about a week prior, but was too embarrassed to report it, the affidavit said.
The officer then spoke with the victim. He learned that the victim knew Caley and had his phone number in case there was a need to get ahold of the parents if they were busy, the affidavit said.
On May 22, 2023, during a forensic interview at the Child Advocacy Center, the victim described playing tennis with Caley. The victim contacted Caley about playing tennis about a month before the current incident. During that time, Caley was sitting on a bench and asked the victim if they could talk, the affidavit said.
Caley told the victim they had “grown up” and then “went in for a kiss.” The victim stated their lips touched. The victim proceeded to “cuss him out” and asked him what was wrong with him, the affidavit said.
About a month and a half later, Caley texted the victim and stated he wanted to apologize in person for the previous incident, the affidavit said. They met at a tennis court close to the victim’s residence where the victim got into the passenger seat of Caley’s car. Caley apologized and then proceeded to try to put his hand down the victim’s pants, a feeling described as “gross, weird, awkward.”
The victim pushed Caley off and told him, “Something is wrong with you, you need help.”
The victim said the incident was not initially report because the victim felt “embarrassed” and “stupid” for having been in that situation, the affidavit said.
Caley was ultimately arrested and booked at the Marion County Jail on a Lake County warrant for lewd or lascivious molestation (victim over 12 but under 16 offender over 18). He was later transferred to Lake County Jail to be held without bond.
