A 33-year-old Fort Lauderdale man is accused of threatening to kill a 12-year-old boy unless he engaged in a sex act at a Margate shopping center, police said.
Morris Cornelius Thomas was arrested in Fort Lauderdale by Margate police at about 5 p.m. Monday and was charged with sexual battery on a victim 12 years of age or older, records show.
It happened March 18 in the restroom of a Dunkin’ Donuts at the Village Plaza, in the 1400 block of N. State Road 7, police said.
Thomas coerced the child to perform a sex act “by threatening to kill the victim if the victim did not submit,” investigators said.
The boy told his parents and they called police. Thomas was being held in the Broward County Jail without bond, records showed.
Thomas did not know the child and this was a one-time incident, said Sgt. Michael Druzbik.
“No other victims at this time,” he said, in a statement. “However, detectives will pursue any information provided to them.”
Investigators are asking anyone with information to contact Margate police Detective Benjamin Sullivan at 954-935-5416. Anonymous tips can be given to Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477 and online at browardcrimestoppers.org.
wkroustan@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4303 or Twitter @WayneRoustan
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