HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — One man is in custody following a sexual offense investigation involving a teenage victim, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) said Sunday.
On May 7, detectives discovered 41-year-old Karl Slazinski began communicating with a 15-year-old victim around May 2023, according to a news release.
HCSO said Slazinski and the victim met several times over the three-year period in Hillsborough County, where they allegedly performed sexual acts on each other.
On Friday, detectives obtained an arrest warrant and charged Slazinski with:
- Use Of A Child In A Sexual Performance
- Lewd Or Lascivious Battery (Engage)
- Traveling To Meet Minor After Using Comp Services/Devices To Solicit Certain Illegal Acts
- Transmission Of Harmful Material To Minor
- Unlawful Use Of Two Way Communications Device
“This adult exploited and manipulated a child for years, using communication and calculated grooming to commit these horrific crimes,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister in the release. “Protecting children remains one of our highest priorities, and our detectives worked tirelessly to build this case and ensure this individual is held accountable.”
This is an active investigation, HCSO said.
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