CLERMONT, Florida—A doorbell camera that alerted a woman to a suspicious vehicle in front of her house helped nab a man who picked up a boy for sex acts after meeting the boy on a social media app earlier this month, according to an arrest affidavit.
On Oct. 2, Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a home in Clermont after the woman called about someone walking back and forth to the suspicious white dually pickup truck in front of her home. The street address is redacted because the incident involves the victim of a sex crime.
When deputies arrived, they found Bermon Edward Pritt, 53, with a 13-year-old boy. Pritt, whose listed address is Avon Park in Highlands County, told deputies he had been staying at Thousand Trails RV Resort in unincorporated Clermont. Less than six weeks ago, in a separate case, a man was arrested for murdering his wife and stepson and raping a young woman while they were living at the same RV resort; Justin Jones, 41, is being held in the Lake County Jail on no bond.
According to Pritt’s affidavit, when deputies arrived, they found Pritt with his head in the boy’s lap and believed Pritt was performing a sex act on the boy and the boy confirmed their suspicions when being questioned. The boy refused to talk to deputies in the beginning and was “visibly distraught. He later told another deputy he met Pritt via the social media app Grindr; Grindr touts itself as, “The world’s largest social media app for LGBTQ people.” The boy said they discussed Pritt performing sex acts and he told Pritt his name and age.
Deputies questioned Pritt and he said the boy’s profile on Grindr stated he was 19 and Pritt allowed deputies to view the messages between him and the boy. After seeing the photo the boy used on his profile, “it is very apparent (the boy) looks very young and is not 18 years old,” the arresting deputy noted in the affidavit.
Pritt admitted his intention was to perform sex acts on the boy and he was arrested for sexual battery on a victim over 12, lewd or lascivious battery on a victim under 16, lewd or lascivious molestation on a victim under 16, solicitation of a child and traveling to meet a minor to commit an unlawful sex act.
Pritt, whose listed occupation is boat operator at 6000 Universal Boulevard, Orlando— Universal Orlando Resort’s address—was released from LCJ on $29,000 bond; his arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 31.
