Man Charged In Teen Runaway Case Goes Before Judge
FORT LAUDERDERDALE (CBSMiami) – The 20-year-old man caught with a 14-year-old Fort Lauderdale runaway who was missing for days made his first court appearance on Thursday.
Police arrested James Adam Pescovitz Gider Wednesday and charged him with two counts of lewd and lascivious battery on a minor.
Investigators say he and the 14-year-old girl were found at the Casa Alhambra hotel in Fort Lauderdale and that the girl ran away voluntarily. Police say the two engaged in consensual sexual acts.
The girl met Gider on a site called Badoo on her cell phone in June. They met once on beach and hung out, according to his arrest report.
On August 15th, she contacted him using the messaging app KIK to meet her at the end of her street between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. He reportedly did and the two went back to the hotel. That night when Gider came home from work the "engaged in consensual sexual activity," according to the arrest report. Gider and teen also had "consensual sexual activity" on Sunday, August 17th, according to police.
The teen told police she originally told Gider that she was 16-years old but added that she also told him her real age before they got together on August 15th. She also stated that she had sent him topless photos of herselt using her phone.
The teen also told police during questioning that Gider claimed to be and FBI agent and had a guns, handcuffs and a badge in the hotel room.
Gider's arrest came five days after the girl last seen leaving the houseboat where she lives with her father behind an apartment building on Isle of Venice.
Her family had feared the worst.
"It's been exhausting," her brother said. "We're really thankful that (she's) back with us."
CBS4 has chosen to no longer show the girl's face or use her name because of her age and the nature of the couple's relationship.
The girl's brother says his father and sister are taking some alone time together out of the public eye to reconnect.
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