- April 18, 2024
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Deputies arrested a man who allegedly sexually abused a 7-year-old and the child's 21-year-old mother, according to a news release by the Flagler County Sheriff's Office.
The mother disclosed to deputies on Feb. 24 that she had been sexually abused by Leon Norman Wiley Jr., 52, of Daytona Beach, since she was 12 years old and estimated being victimized more than 500 times. She did not report the previous incidents due to fear of retaliation by Wiley. In addition, she told deputies that Wiley and a friend of his would come over at night, drug her and have sex with her. She reported being impregnated seven times from those incidents. Each time she would get pregnant, Wiley would take her to a woman's health clinic for an abortion, according to the report.
Over the next month and a half, FCSO detectives discreetly gathered multiple recordings of the suspect admitted to the abuse. On April 4, the Major Case Unit had gathered enough evidence to secure a warrant for Wiley's arrest, charging him with witness tampering and sexual battery by a person in familial or custodial authority.
He was arrested at the Palm Coast Walmart on April 4 without incident and was taken to the Flagler County Jail without bond. He was then interviewed by detectives and made several admissions. The investigation is still on-going and additional charges are pending.
“Our detectives were able to obtain significant and strong evidence against him,” Sheriff Rick Staly said in a release. “I hope the judge throws the book at him and he spends a long time in prison thinking about his actions and what he as done to these children.”
