DeLand man arrested, charged after he sexually battered 13-year-old girl he met on Snapchat, deputies say
VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. โ A 29-year-old DeLand man was arrested after deputies said he sexually battered a 13-year-old girl he met on Snapchat. Joaquin Mendez was arrested Friday night and charged with lewd or lascivious battery of a victim under 16. According to the Volusia County Sheriffโs Office, the incident was reported Friday afternoon, after the girlโs mother found concerning text messages on her daughterโs phone. Mendez was arrested around 1:30 a.m. Saturday and is being held at the Volusia County Branch Jail on a $25,000 bond. โThe investigation revealed the Instagram and Snapchat accounts Mendez used to contact the victim displayed images of a young man who wasnโt Mendez,โ deputies added.