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West Palm Beach man arrested for sexual battery of 15-year-old girl

Posted at 4:23 PM, Dec 15, 2017
and last updated 2017-12-15 16:23:17-05

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office has arrested a 21-year-old West Palm Beach man and charged him with the sexual battery of a 15-year-old girl.

PBSO says Vernal Vereen initiated contact with the girl at the beginning of summer.

According to an arrest report, Vereen and the girl communicated through text messaging, phone conversations and Snapchat.

The victim claims Vereen would ask her about sexual subjects during their conversations.

According to the victim, she and Vereen "hung out" on three occasions and on the third encounter Vereen forced her to have sexual intercourse.

PBSO says Vereen told the victim he was 18 or 19 years old and she told him she was 15 years old.

According to an arrest report, the victim says Vereen asked her to send him material on his phone (details on the material were not disclosed in the arrest report). After she did, she says she begged him to delete the material from his phone and made an appointment to go see him in person to ensure they were deleted.

When she got to his apartment, she says she deleted the material from his phone. Before she could leave, the victim says Vereen forced her to perform oral sex on him.

Vernal Joseph Vereen was arrested on Thursday, December 14, 2017 and charged with Lewd and Lascivious Battery, Sexual Battery, and Transmitting Harmful Material To A Minor.