Man accused of sexually battering 13-year-old, Manatee County deputies say
A Ruskin man faces a sexual battery charge after Manatee County detectives say he sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl he met through Instagram.
Dan Stanley Beldor, 26, was arrested May 20 and charged with first-degree felony sexual battery of a victim between the ages of 12 and 18, court records show. If convicted, he could face up to 30 years in prison.
An attorney representing Beldor did not immediately respond to the Bradenton Herald’s request for comment.
According to an arrest report from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the investigation began in January after deputies received a report of a sexual battery involving a juvenile victim.
The 13-year-old told investigators she contacted an Instagram user to arrange the purchase of a THC vape pen, according to the arrest report. The victim said she met the person in her neighborhood and got into a black BMW 530i with darkly tinted windows.
After entering the vehicle, the girl told the driver she did not have the money to pay for the vape pen and offered to retrieve it from her home, according to the arrest report. Investigators say the man responded that she could “pay him in other ways” before allegedly sexually battering her inside the vehicle.
A search warrant for the Instagram account revealed it used a date of birth and phone number linked to Beldor, according to the arrest report. Investigators later subpoenaed Verizon records, which they say confirmed the phone number belonged to Beldor.
Detectives also reviewed footage from automated license plate reader cameras in the area and identified a black BMW matching the victim’s description. Records showed the vehicle was registered to Beldor, according to the report.
According to the arrest report, detectives also reviewed the victim’s cellphone as part of the investigation.
A detective presented the victim with a photographic lineup containing Beldor and five other individuals with similar characteristics. The victim identified Beldor as the person who assaulted her, according to an arrest report.
Beldor remains held without bond at the Manatee County Jail, according to jail records. His arraignment is scheduled for July 2 before Circuit Judge D. Ryan Felix.
