Homosassa man charged with exposing himself to juvenile girl, home alone

Citrus County, Florida - Thirty-nine year-old Daniel Ballagas of Homosassa, FL was arrested by the Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO), November 6, 2020, as the result on an investigation that began, Sept. 23, when the agency received a report that a stranger, later identified as Ballagas, had entered a residence where a juvenile was home alone, gone into the victim's bedroom and exposed himself to her. The juvenile called her mother, who returned home and reported the incident to the CCSO.

Deputies began searching the local area for a man meeting the description of the suspect provided by the juvenile victim. The victim's mother told deputies that she'd seen a man, who matched her daughter's description, traveling away from the residence when she returned home in response to her daughter's call.

Detective Tiffany Barry, with the agency's High Tech Crimes Unit, determined that the suspect was Ballagas. In a photo lineup, the victim identified Ballagas as the suspect. The girl's mother confirmed that Ballagas was the man she'd seen on the roadway, near her residence, on the day of the incident.

On November 6, Detective Barry interviewed Ballagas at the Citrus County Detention Facility where he was incarcerated on unrelated charges. According to a press release, Ballagas confirmed to Detective Barry that he'd entered the victim's residence and spoken to the girl. Detective Barry arrested Ballagas on charges of burglary of an occupied dwelling and exposure of sexual organs. His bond was set at $16,000, although he was already being held with no bond on the other charges.

"Ballagas stole the sense of safety from this victim by entering her family home. He also exposed himself to her, putting her through an experience that a child should not have had to endure," said Sheriff Mike Prendergast, who added that Citrus County is, "a safer community with Ballagas in custody."