A Plant City man will spend the rest of his life in prison after being convicted by a jury of committing sex acts on a minor and preventing a witness from testifying in court.
Rudolfo Palermo, 43, perpetrated these “heinous crimes” a few months after being released from Florida State Prison, where he was serving time on unrelated sex charges, according to a news release from the State Attorney’s Office.
According to the news release, Palermo was found guilty of two charges of sexual violence, two counts of lewd or lascivious molestation, one case of lewd or lascivious battery, and two counts of interfering with a witness.
Along with four life terms, the 43-year-old man got an extra 45 years because he broke the rules of his probation.
“The victim bravely spoke out against this monster in court.” State Attorney Suzy Lopez said in a statement that this person will never again hurt another child who isn’t guilty. “He’ll spend the rest of his life in jail and will never be able to walk the streets of Hillsborough County again.”
“Four life sentences is the only suitable punishment for committing such terrible crimes against a vulnerable and defenseless victim.”
The case was being looked into by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.