GROVELAND, Fla. – UPDATE: New human trafficking charges were filed Monday against Vincent Thomas.
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A Groveland man who works as a professional gamer is accused of filming videos of himself having sex with a 15-year-old girl, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
The victim's mother told deputies that Vincent Thomas, 27, had been dating her daughter for several months, even though she didn't approve of the relationship and tried to keep the pair separated.
The teen said she'd been dating Thomas on and off for a year and they had sex on a regular basis, the arrest report said. During some of those incidents, Thomas shot videos and took photos on his cellphone, which he then transferred to his laptop in his gaming room, deputies said.
The victim also told deputies that Thomas gave her cocaine and acid.
While deputies were investigating claims against Thomas, they received a human trafficking complaint from the Department of Children and families on April 28.
One girl told investigators that she was not a victim, but she knew that Thomas did "like younger white females" and paid them with drugs, alcohol and money in exchange for sex, according to the arrest report. After her interview with DCF, she found a piece of burnt cardboard on her doorstep calling her a "snitch."
Thomas messaged the tipster on Facebook and told her he was going to message all the girls whom DCF was planning to interview, deputies said.
A search warrant for Thomas' house was executed Tuesday. Deputies found child pornography of the victim on Thomas' laptop, according to the report. Cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana were found in the game room, officials said.
Richard Mugnier, who lives in the home where the search warrant was executed, said his daughter, who is not the victim, used to be in a relationship with Thomas. He said he was shocked to hear about the allegations.
"I knew nothing about that. He was assisting with troubled youth at a place in Leesburg," Mugnier said. "That's the only connection that we ever knew that they could have possibly have met, but as far as I know, (the victim) was never at this address."
He said Thomas was a quiet video gamer who mostly kept to himself.
A neighbor said he'd see Thomas outside the home smoking cigarettes, but the two had very few interactions.
"It makes me very concerned being a grandfather with kids in the neighborhood. I mean, who wouldn't be? But I'm glad I know now," Joe Shapona said.
Thomas did not admit to the abuse, but told detectives that he was "helping" several young girls.
The report said there is an open human trafficking complaint against Thomas and investigators have 10 juveniles to interview.
Five counts of human trafficking were filed Monday against Thomas, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Thomas was arrested Tuesday on charges of lewd and lascivious battery, possession of child pornography, production of child pornography, possession of cocaine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He's being held without bond at the Lake County Jail.