Virginia man charged with forcing York County teen into sex acts after they met online
A Virginia man has been charged in York County, S.C., with forcing a minor girl into sex acts, and burglarizing her home, according to deputies.
John DiGeronimo, 59, of Alexandria, Va., is charged with two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct against a minor, two counts of first-degree burglary, and two counts of first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, according to arrest warrants obtained by The Herald.
DiGeronimo is accused of sexually assaulting the minor and taking photographs, according to the warrants from the York County Sheriff’s Office.
The incidents took place in 2018 after the suspect and victim met online through Internet social media, according to deputies and warrants. The arrest was made after sheriff’s office detectives recovered evidence, according to the warrants.
DiGeronimo was taken into custody Sunday in Virginia, then brought back to York where he was served arrest warrants, said Trent Faris, spokesman for the sheriff’s office.
South Carolina law states DiGeronimo could face as much as life in prison if convicted. First-degree burglary carries a sentence of up to life in prison, state law shows. Second-degree criminal sexual conduct against a minor carries up to 20 years in prison. Second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor carries a maximum punishment of up to 10 years for each conviction.
DiGeronimo remains in the York County jail after bail was denied in his initial court appearance.
The sheriff’s office charged 10 men in late 2019 in a multi-state Internet sex investigation targeting suspects who sought underage children. Those arrests came after an online police probe, and the DiGeronimo arrest is not linked to those cases, Faris said.
