Florida Man, Who Sexually Abused Underage Family Member for Years, Charged With 1,200 Counts of Sexual Assault and Incest With Minor
An Israeli woman wearing a protective mask due to the COVID-19 pandemic, holds a placard as she takes part in a demonstration in Tel Aviv on August 23, 2020, to denounce sexual violence against women following the alleged gang-rape of a 16-year-old girl in a Red Sea resort. - Police said 11 suspects, including nine minors and a woman said to be the manager of the hotel in which the alleged rape took place, had been arrested in connection with the affair so far as part of an "ongoing investigation". JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images

A Florida man has been charged with a total of 1,200 counts of sexual assault and incest involving a minor that allegedly took place over the last six years.

According to New York Post, Robert Cota of Pensacola was charged with 600 counts of sexual assault on a victim between the ages of 12 and 18 and another 600 counts of incest that have allegedly been occurring since 2015.

Florida Man Charged of Sexual Assault With Minor, Incest

The 31-year-old Florida man was reportedly arrested after a local pastor tipped the cops off about his unusual behavior. The pastor reported Robert Cota to the authorities after the suspect talked to him.

The pastor told police that Cota approached him last Sunday and confessed that he "had issues with one of the beliefs" outlined in the church guideline book.

Based on the arresting documents obtained by ABC-affiliated TV station WEAR-TV, the pastor said the suspect specifically pointed to the word "incest."

The pastor noted that he continued speaking to Cota and eventually told the suspect to turn himself in to the authorities since what he was doing was not right.

Pastor Tells Authorities About the Florida Man's Sexual Encounters With Minor

The pastor later contacted the Escambia County Sheriff's Office and provided them with Robert Cota's photo, address, and phone number.

According to the News Journal, the provided piece of paper appeared to correspond with the church's policy about photographing new members.

Based on the arrest report, the victim confessed to the investigators that she had been having sexual encounters with the Florida man since she was seven, and it had been happening for about three years.

The girl, whose age has been redacted from the report, also revealed that Cota convinced her that the sexual act was how people showed affection. She estimated that Cota abused her more than 600 times.

The report also showed that in September 2020, the Florida man was arrested for aggravated assault and domestic violence after he pointed a gun at the girl. It happened after the victim's mother confronted Robert Cota regarding his sexual relationship with the girl.

The mother reportedly confronted the Florida man after she caught him in bed with her daughter. The arrest prompted authorities to investigate the sexual assault and incest allegations against the Florida man.

Police said both Cota and the girl talked about the sexual relationship with the mother. However, the two later retracted their statements.

When the deputies arrived to arrest the Florida man for sexual assault and incest, the suspect reportedly told the arresting officers that he was not surprised about the accusations and charges.

On Sunday night, Robert Cota was booked into the Escambia County Jail, where his bond has been set at $3 million.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Jess Smith

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