It took him 44 years to reveal the sexual abuse. His attacker has confessed, cops say

A 71-year-old Manatee County man has been charged with sexually abusing a child 44 years ago, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

David Alan Probus, who was arrested Tuesday, had sexual contact with the victim while he was residing in his home in 1975 and the abuse continued for six months, according to a report.

Deputies say Probus was called to the sheriff’s office’s Crimes Against Children’s office on Tuesday where he admitted to abusing the victim. His age is not listed, but the report indicates his was in elementary school at the time.

Probus told deputies he would go into the victim’s bedroom “about every other night” to abuse the boy, according to the report. Probus admitted to knowing that what he was doing was wrong, according to the sheriff’s office.

The victim never told anyone about the abuse, but he recently revealed it to a relative who encouraged him to come forward, the sheriff’s office said.

Probus was booked into the Manatee County jail, where he remains, on the charge of force fondling a victim under the age of 12.

On Wednesday afternoon, he made his first appearance before a judge.

“I do find that the presumption of evidence is great,” Judge Robert Farrance said agreeing with the state’s attorney’s office and ordering that he be held without bond.

The judge did not appoint the public defender’s office to represent him after Probus indicated his wife was going to hire him a private attorney, but ordered that he be brought back to court in 48 hours should that change and he need an attorney appointed.

Probus has no known criminal history.

Herald staff writer Jessica De Leon contributed to this report.

This story was originally published July 31, 2019 at 10:07 AM.