NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. — A now-former Nassau County Animal Shelter employee has been arrested on charges of sexual battery on a minor, according to a news release from the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office.
Damien Patrick Miles, 26, was taken into custody following an investigation that began on Thursday. Miles was employed as a veterinary technician at the Nassau County Animal Shelter.
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The victim told deputies that Miles coerced them into engaging in sexual acts at the animal shelter. The victim’s parents discovered concerning communications on their child’s phone, including frequent text messages, phone calls, and Cash App transfers totaling approximately $350 from Miles, the news release said.
A NCSO detective and a victim’s advocate listened in to a controlled call between Miles and the victim, where they “engaged in conversation over the past events including the sexual acts conducted and the consequences of the sexual acts,” Miles’ arrest report said.
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“Children are our most vulnerable population, and I will do everything in my power to protect them,” Nassau Sheriff Bill Leeper said in the news release. “Predators are out there looking for opportunities to prey on our children. Thanks to the swift work of our detectives, this individual is now where he belongs, behind bars.”
Miles was booked into the Nassau County Jail with a bond set at more than $150,000. He has been terminated from his position with the Nassau County Animal Shelter.
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