GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gainesville Police Department (GPD) said it has arrested a man accused of inappropriately touching multiple children who attended an overnight camp at a Gainesville church two years ago.
In February, GPD said its Special Victims Unit (SVU) began investigating a sexual abuse report that happened at Ignite Life Center, a church located on 14th Avenue in Gainesville.
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An alleged victim said that while attending the Ignite Youth Internship in July of 2021, Gabriel Hemenez, 28, sexually abused him. Hemenez was a volunteer and church member of Ignite Life Center who interacted with minors on a regular basis from 2018 to 2023, police said.
According to GPD, Hemenez allegedly sexually abused several minors while they attended the Ignite Life Center’s Youth Internship in July of 2021, which is a month-long overnight camp.
Last week, detectives traveled to Lakeland and interviewed Hemenez. During the interview, police said Hemenez confessed to inappropriately touching three minors and one adult while attending and volunteering at the Ignite Life Center.
Hemenez has been charged with two counts of lewd or lascivious molestation and one count of attempted sexual battery of a minor.
Police said the investigation is ongoing and additional charges are pending.
Det. Johnson asked any member of the community with additional information or who may be a victim, to please contact her at 352-393-7656 or Johnsonrl@cityofgainesville.org.
The Ignite Life Center was made aware of this investigation and the arrest of Hemenez, police said.