Bond Set at $300K For Man Accused Of Molesting Girl At Apartment Pool

Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A Miami-Dade Circuit Judge on Wednesday set bond at $300,000 plus collateral for a 51-year-old Pinecrest man accused of molesting a 6-year-old girl at a pool at her family's Kendall apartment complex.

The decision by Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer followed a hearing for Josef Opdeweegh.

At that hearing a Miiami-Dade Police officer testified that the girl told authorities that the defendant touched her "in the pee pee."

A prosecutor said there was "no justifiable reason" for Opdeweegh to "stick his hands under water to her legs and touch her multiple times in the genital area."

A Police report said the incident happened May 31st at the complex near S.W. 81st Street and S.W. 72nd Avenue.

The report says Opdeweegh touched the girl 3 times over her bathing suit in her private arts.

Opdeweegh listened in silence during the testimony in bond court.

A defense attorney said, "He's never been arrested. He's never been accused of doing anything wrong. He's never been involved with any scandal or criminal conduct."

Judge Glazer found probable cause for the charge of lewd and lascivious molestation on a child younger than 12 years old.

"I'm ordering you to stay away from the child whose initials are S.C. and you are also ordered to stay away from the family of the victim," said Glazer.

Opdeweegh lives in Pinecrest.

Laura Guitar, a spokeswoman for his family, told CBS4's Peter D'OENCH, Opdeweegh and his family were stunned by the charges.

"The allegations are bewildering," she said. "The father has a record of 51 years with no criminal history and there were never any allegations of wrongdoing. It is unfair that the charges were brought and there was a great mistake in this place. These are inappropriate charges."

Opdeweegh reportedly knows the victim's family.

Attorney Ron Book, who appeared in court for the victim's family, said, "The average predator would commit 120 separate offenses before they are caught. What we know is the fact that one in three girls and one in five boys will be sexually abused before they turn 18 and there is such a great degree of under reporting that 90 percent of children who are sexually abused never come to light. This would have never come to light had this family not shined a light on a darker place."

Police say Opdeweegh surrendered to them but not give them a statement. He invoked his right to counsel.

Judge Glazer ordered that he not come within 100 feet of the victim's family and not come within 500 feet of the victim.

He was also ordered to have no contact with any child younger than 18 other than his own children.