Daytona Beach, FL – A registered sexual predator could go to prison for the rest of his life after a jury finds him guilty of molesting a little girl as she slept.
43-year-old Meshac M. Abentego was convicted by a Volusia County jury on Thursday of lewd and lascivious molestation of a minor after less than 15 minutes of deliberation, according to 7th Circuit State Attorney RJ Larizza’s Office.
Spencer Hathaway – a spokesman for Larizza – says prosecutors are trying to get Abentego labeled a Prison Releasee Reoffender before he’s sentenced by 7th Circuit Judge Leah Case.
“If the court accepts the PRR designation, Abentego’s only lawful sentence is mandatory imprisonment for life,” Hathaway added.
Abentego’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 18th at 1:30pm.
The mother of the victim – a girl under the age of 12 – told the Daytona Beach Police Department in July 2014 that Abentego was a family friend who had been staying at her new home the last 2 days while helping her move in.
According to the arrest report, the mother called police after the girl told her that she woke up and found Abentego next to her with his hands inside her pajamas and on her buttocks. Abentego reportedly fled from the home at that point.
His arrest report didn’t specify how he was caught, but the girl’s mother told DBPD Abentego was staying with his sister at Lakeside Apartments in Daytona Beach before he stayed with her and her daughter.
Besides the lewd and lascivious molestation charge, Abentego was also hit with a failure to register charge since his last listed address was tracked down to a wooded area in New Smyrna Beach.
Abentego was also charged with failing to change his driver’s license address information and with marijuana possession after police found 2 blue bags on his person that they say had marijuana inside.
Abentego was hit with the sex predator tag following a December 2003 case where he was charged with attempted sexual battery on a girl under the age of 12.
Hathaway says Abentego has an extensive criminal history, including convictions for aggravated assault, carrying a concealed firearm, grand theft and sale of cocaine.
Meshac M. Abentego (mugshot courtesy Volusia County Jail)
Copyright 2015 Southern Stone Communications.