FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – A former Miami-Dade College professor was re-arrested on additional charges after DNA testing linked him to the sexual assault of a missing 15-year-old girl, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
Richard Tapia, 46, of Palm Coast, was arrested in Palm Beach County with assistance from the Florida Highway Patrol. He is charged with three counts of lewd or lascivious battery on a victim between the ages of 12 and 16.
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Deputies responded July 22 to a Palm Coast hotel after the girl’s mother reported that her runaway daughter was there with an adult man. Deputies found the girl leaving through a back stairwell and Tapia exiting the front lobby.
Detectives determined Tapia met the girl through an online app, picked her up in Jacksonville and drove her to Palm Coast. The girl told deputies Tapia raped her multiple times at the hotel. Tapia was initially arrested on a charge of interference with child custody as detectives began a sexual assault investigation.
Detectives conducted forensic interviews and analyzed evidence from Tapia’s cellphone. A sexual assault kit was submitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, where testing confirmed Tapia’s DNA was present.
A capias was issued for Tapia on Sept. 22. He was later transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, where he is being held on a $350,000 bond.
“This mother’s determination helped us find her daughter, which started the investigation on this pervert,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “Our detectives followed the evidence and built a strong case against this predator who took advantage of a vulnerable child.”
Authorities believe there may be other victims. Anyone with information about Tapia is asked to contact the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office at 386-393-4911.
