George Lazale. {BSO}
By Ryan Yousefi
A Margate teen has been arrested on charges related to an alleged sexual battery of a minor he met while working at Subway.
The Margate Police Department initiated the investigation after receiving a complaint from the victim’s mother on August 9.
The mother contacted police, expressing concerns about a possible inappropriate relationship between her child and the teen, later identified as George Lazale, 18, of Margate.
According to records, Lazale and the victim met while he was employed at Subway, located at 690 South State Road 7.
Investigators were able to capture conversations between the two from the Snapchat app, which eventually resulted in first-degree felonies.
Detectives took over the case on August 15, beginning with interviews of the victim and her mother. The victim outlined a friendship that began two to three years ago when Lazale worked at a Subway restaurant.
The victim detailed instances where Lazale’s behavior became inappropriate, including sleepovers, uncomfortable physical touch, and, eventually, an alleged sexual encounter at Southeast Park.
Due to a time delay, no viable DNA evidence could be recovered from the incident. However, both the victim and her mother expressed a desire for prosecution.
Detectives executed search warrants on social media accounts, including Snapchat and WhatsApp, and a search of the victim’s cellphone, uncovering additional evidence.
On December 21, when detectives contacted Lazale at his residence. During the conversation, Lazale initially described their relationship as brother/sister. Still, when confronted with evidence, he admitted to having multiple intimate encounters.
Lazale stated that he could not recall who mentioned the idea of having a sexual relationship first but indicated one of them stated, “Do you want to have sex?” or “‘Do something weird,’ to which he alleges the victim said, “Yeah. ”
Lazale stated that since the incident, he contemplated going to the police but was afraid, and he “felt sick after it. ” Lazale commented further, “I felt I messed up and did something I shouldn’t have done.
Lazale disclosed an intimate encounter at Southeast Park, stating he did not wear a condom, did not ejaculate, and felt remorseful afterward. The incident allegedly occurred between April and May 2023.
On December 26, Lazale was taken into custody and later transported to the BSO Main Jail. The charges against him include engaging in vaginal intercourse with a person between 12 and 17 years of age.
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