Homeless man charged with molesting young child while babysitting
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Ricardo A. Martin, 38, has been charged with three counts of lewd/lascivious molestation and one count of attempted lewd/lascivious molestation on a victim under the age of 12; he was reportedly babysitting the victim and her siblings during the alleged incidents.
According to a Gainesville Police Department Detective’s report, Martin allegedly touched the child inappropriately over a period of about two years, when the child was between seven and nine years old. Martin was reportedly a childhood friend of the victim’s father and has been homeless since he moved to Gainesville; the victim’s parents reportedly allowed him to stay at their house on multiple occasions, and he would often “babysit” their children. The detective noted that Martin was documented as a “babysitter” of the children in previous Department of Children and Families and law enforcement reports, and the children have referred to him as their babysitter. The victim’s father reportedly also referred to Martin as someone who “babysat” the children.
The victim’s family has now moved away from Gainesville, and the victim reportedly told authorities in their new location that Martin touched her inappropriately while babysitting her. The victim also reportedly said that when the family lived in Gainesville, she told her parents that Martin touched her inappropriately, and they kicked Martin out of their home.
Martin, whose address is listed as GRACE Marketplace, has two felony convictions (non-violent) and nine misdemeanor convictions (non-violent); he was on probation or pre-trial release during some of the alleged “babysitting” incidents, and he is currently on probation. He is being held without bail because Judge Phillip Pena granted a motion from the State Attorney’s Office to hold him without bail until trial.
Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
What do you know, another disGRACE to our community. ZERO TOLERANCE FOR CHILD MOLESTERS. Life without parole or death penalty, let them choose. Chemical sterilization regardless.
The questions I would like answered are where did he come from, and what brought him to GNV without a job, money or a place to live?
Not sure if you realize this but some people are born and raised Gainesville locals, you absolute dodo bird.
Actually, his home address was listed in Hollywood, FL from 2001-2004 but he now resides in Gainesville over off of NE 28th Drive. He clearly came here and given his history is here to steal and drain our economy.
@critical thinking….you seem to be the one who needs more critical thinking…the feckless “leaders” in gville would have you believe the homeless here are mostly locals….I beg to differ, they have rolled out the red carpet for homeless and they have arrived and continue to arrive. That is why we would like to know where they are from.
Right ! Grace Marketplace is a marketplace for drugs, sex acts, and sexual actors awaiting victims. As finally seen in one or 2 brave cities in CA recently, when they cut all homeless services and campgrounds for homeless, 90% went away. Be brave Gainesville: Tear Down Grace Marketplace! Fund no homeless activities or handouts, dislodge anyone sleeping in public places.
Public means it belongs to the people.. the one who sleeps in it the ones who don’t.. I choose not to sleep in private encampments on public grounds for my safety. But I don’t appreciate you stating I need not should be “given” any “handouts “to sleep.
What a Woke , Sick, Psych ward city Gainesville has become.
Please elaborate how this has anything to do with “wokeness”, I would genuinely love to hear your thoughts.
This makes me so angry. WTH were the parents thinking? That poor kid. I hope they give him the maximum sentence.
When he gets out, Poe’s old program can give him $500 and a job…maybe as a downtown ambassador. Is that still going on? Ward certainly runs a tight ship, doesn’t he?
Disgrace market place felon who has made no attempt to better himself babysitting young children. What could go wrong? Left jail and insert under.
Why tf would you let a homeless person watch your kids the parents must me slow or on some type of drugs I hope the child get the help she needs these young parents just kicked him out the house he would have been unalive if it was one of mines send this pos to prison where he can get touch inappropriately 💯💯💯💯💯😡😡😡😡😡
Are you freaking kidding me?! Letting a homeless person babysit your child? What’s the world coming to?! Whatever happened to references, not to mention cleanliness?
This disgusting animal will get what’s coming to him, but there’ no justice if the parents don’t face some kind of punishment for child endangerment. Letting a homeless person babysit your precious children is absolutely, criminally insane. You would be safer keeping your kids in kennel full of pit bulls.
This pedo was even on pre-trial release and they still let him watch their child, alone. This level of recklessness and stupidity can’t go unpunished.
Wow parents don’t need these kids of they are not caring who watches their child how insane you gotta be to let a bum watch your child.
The state needs to charge the parents for failing to report this.
Something about this don’t make sense. It says the information is from the police report and I’ve long learned not to trust a word from GPD. IF HE’s guilty he deserves punishment. But I have seen people charged and then charges dropped without so much as an apology.
This is about child molestation and I have known 2or 3 situations many more if truthful it was not the homeless on children.. or the friends coexisting in one home 🏠 but the housed neighbor or grandad or as we should focus on molestation and rape for what it is not our fathers getting kissed by their preteen.. this is sad not bc he’s homelessness but the harm done to these kids