Man arrested for stalking, attacking 14-year-old girl he met online: TPD
TAMPA - A 14-year-old girl fought off an armed attacker inside her own home after reporting having a stalker for a year, according to Tampa police on Wednesday.
Tampa police arrested Franciou Romelus, 43, on April 12 for aggravated stalking, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated child, unlawful use of two-way communications device and transmission of harmful material. He was arrested one day after detectives investigated a case of a man attacking the girl at gunpoint and attempting to kidnap her.
According to the search warrant obtained by FOX 13, it states Romelus and the teen girl connected in June 2023 on a game called Roblox, a popular online platform for teens.
At some point, the girl’s phone was hacked, and she started getting text messages for months, which included "I left something for you under your bed" and "I’ll come for you," the affidavit stated.
Cybersecurity expert James McQuiggan, a security awareness advocate with KnowBe4 of Clearwater, said the attacker likely first built up a sense of trust.
"As they're talking with them, they'll be like, 'hey, check out this great website that's got some really cool information and tips on how to play the game,'" said McQuiggan "The child visits that website, and unfortunately, most likely it's used by the attackers to be able to gain access to their phone."
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The affidavit said on January 15, the girl came home to find a black box on the doorstep with a massager inside as a gift.
"If you can't see the person, you can't talk to the person you don't know if that person is 15 or 55," said McQuiggan. "A lot of the time, there are people out there that want to prey on children."
On April 11, the 14-year-old girl came home from school and went inside her home. Once inside, the affidavit said a man came out "wearing all black and a mask covering his face" and "pointed a firearm at the victim and attempted to place a bag over her face." The teen fought off the attacker and ran to a neighbor’s house to call 911.
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Tampa police said Romelus was the first one to arrive on the scene after the incident, saying he was checking up on the girl. After talking with him, officers arrested Romelus the next day.
Cyber experts said parents should check privacy settings on their kids’ devices and stress online safety with them.
"Don't share private information. Don't talk about your favorite teams or what schools you go to, unless you absolutely know that person and know them in real life," said McQuiggan.
The affidavit said Tampa police seized computers along with gloves, clothing, a mask and gun from the suspect’s home. Police said the suspect is not a neighbor of the victim.
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