Polk County Detectives Apprehend Suspect with Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Assistance; Sheriff Judd Urges Parental Online Monitoring
Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) detectives, working with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, arrested a Bradenton man earlier this week on charges related to unlawful sexual activity with a minor.
Jahaziel Mendez, 25, of Bradenton, was taken into custody on September 24, 2025. He faces charges including lewd battery (F2), traveling to meet a minor (F2), and interference with child custody (F3). He is currently booked into the Manatee County Jail on a Polk County warrant and is awaiting extradition.
The investigation began after a 15-year-old girl disclosed that she had engaged in sexual intercourse with Mendez, whom she initially met through the social media application Tumblr, where he was known to her as “Jay.”
According to the PCSO, Mendez traveled to pick the victim up from her residence and booked a room at the Holiday Inn in Davenport, where the sexual battery occurred. Surveillance footage from the hotel confirmed Mendez checked in on September 20 and later entered the room with the victim.
The victim revealed that she and Mendez had FaceTimed prior to meeting and that they met on three separate occasions, with her sneaking out of her home each time, a plan Mendez reportedly encouraged. Illegal sexual activity occurred during the second and third meetings. Following the third encounter, Mendez instructed the victim to take a Plan B pill.
Further evidence was gathered during a recorded phone call in which Mendez reportedly admitted to traveling to meet the minor for sex, described the experience as enjoyable, and made light of her age, joking that he might “end up in a documentary” but was not thinking about her age.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd emphasized the danger that predatory individuals pose on social media platforms.
“This is a prime example of why parents need to be monitoring their kids online,” said Sheriff Judd. “Predators use social media to target vulnerable kids. Then they groom and convince them to sneak out of their homes, in order to sexually batter them. We will continue to pursue and arrest anyone who exploits children.”
READ: 3 From Tampa Killed In Polk County I-4 Crash, 6-Year-Old Child Survives
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
