Police: Florida Man Abused Hudson Valley Child Many Times

A man from the Sunshine State is accused of raping and sexually assaulting a local child one more than one occasion.

The Orange County Child Abuse Unit announced the arrest of 35-year-old Edwin Rodriguez from Newport Richey, Florida. A joint investigation between the New York State Police and Orange County Child Protective Services revealed that Rodriguez engaged in sexual contact with a child under the age of 13, police say.

The investigation steered New York State Police investigators from the Child Abuse Unit to travel to the state of Florida where they coordinated with the Newport Richey Police Department to eventually find Rodriguez and interview him. Rodriguez was subsequently arrested as a fugitive from justice and held in the Pasco County jail until he was extradited back to New York last week.

Rodriguez was later indicted by an Orange County Grand Jury for two counts of predatory sexual assault against a child, two counts of course of sexual conduct against a child and two counts of rape, all felonies.

Rodriguez was committed to Orange County Jail and is awaiting arraignment in Orange County Court.

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