Bluffton man arrested for sexually assaulting a 9-year-old child
A 61-year-old Bluffton man was arrested Friday and accused of sexually assaulting a child.
Carmelo Catalan Romero was charged with criminal sexual conduct with a minor less than age 11. The incident is said to have occurred between August 2018 and May 2019, according to Maj. Angela Viens, spokesperson for the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office. The victim, whom Romero knew, was nine years old at the time.
Originally, the case was reported to the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, who, after an investigation, realized the incident happened in Beaufort County. The investigation was then turned over to Beaufort County in late January.
On Thursday, the Sheriff’s Office obtained a warrant for Romero and he was arrested the next day.
As of Monday morning, Romero is still detained at the Beaufort County Detention Center.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
