The Sarasota Police Department’s Special Victims Unit (SVU) within the Criminal Investigation Division investigates crimes against children consisting of sexual assault, child pornography, child physical abuse, allegations of child neglect, and any other matter at the direction of the division commander, Captain Jonathan Todd.  The team comprised of Detective Sergeant Riffe, Detective Llovio, Detective Buck, and Detective Cox.

The Sarasota Police Department has created a close working relationship with professional colleagues to reach a common goal of keeping children safe and holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes. “This goal could not be accomplished without working together, and I am proud to be a part of the men and women who dedicate their lives to protecting children,” said Detective Llovio, Sarasota Police Department.

Four Sarasota men have been convicted of sexually abusing children within our community since February 2023 because of the dedication of Sarasota Police Department detectives and their partnership with the Child Protection Center, Department of Children and Family Services, Victim Advocates, and Prosecutors with the State Attorney’s Office.

• On February 8, 2023, Clifton Renard Bean was convicted and sentenced to life for two counts of sexual battery on a child younger than 12, two counts of lewd/lascivious molestation on a child under 12, one count of battery on a child between the age of 12 and 18 by a family member, and one count of lewd/lascivious molestation on a child between 12 and 16 in 2009. Assistant State Attorney Jordan Greene and Ryan Felix prosecuted the case.
  
  
• On April 6, 2023, John Martin Smith was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for committing sexual battery upon a child less than 12 years old in 2021. Assistant State Attorney Ryan Felix and Ethan Dunn prosecuted the case.
  
  
• On April 19, 2023, Bicente Velasquez Morales, a local pastor, was convicted and sentenced to life for committing sexual battery upon a child and lewd/lascivious molestation upon a child less than 12 years of age in 2019. Assistant State Attorney Kate Metz and William Greiner prosecuted the case. 
  
  
• On April 20, 2023, Juan Castanon Jr. was convicted on two counts of sexual battery upon a child less than 12 years of age, one count of lewd/lascivious molestation, and battery upon a child less than 12 years of age. Castanon Jr.’s sentencing is scheduled for May 16, 2023. Assistant State Attorney Jordan Greene and Megan Leaf prosecuted the case.

“In each of these cases, the victims who were and still are minors had the courage to come forward to a family member for help, which launched the investigations at the Sarasota Police Department,” said Detective Llovio.  “The victims then had the courage to stand and testify against their abusers. There are no words to describe the courage of these young people who had to relive their worst nightmare in that courtroom.  This is the definition of bravery”, said Llovio.

According to the Child Protection Center of Sarasota & DeSoto Counties:

• Nationally, there are 4,300,000 reports of child abuse annually.
• In Florida, a child is abused every 19 minutes, 75 children daily.
• In Sarasota and DeSoto County, there are 3,200 reports of child abuse each year.

The Sarasota Police Department encourages the community to educate children and give them a safe place to come forward should the need arise. The Sarasota Police Department sends a special thank you to the prosecutors for their endless commitment and guidance. A special thank you to the Child Protection Team for diligently caring for and counseling the victim and their families, to the Department of Children and Family Services for providing shelter and safety plans, and to Sarasota Police Department Victim Advocates, Jude Castro, and Tonya DiSapio, who are a constant liaison between all parties until the conclusion of the trial and oftentimes years later.  

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