Court-Ordered Youth Counselor Had Sex With Teen Boy: Police

Starting Place counselor accused of sexually battering teen boy

The court-ordered counselor for a Broward County teen was behind bars Wednesday after authorities said he assaulted and battered the boy on multiple occasions.

Raphael Castillo, 44, was arrested Tuesday and charged with four counts of sexual assault and battery on the 17-year-old boy, according to a Broward Sheriff's Office arrest report.

According to the report, Castillo worked as a counselor for The Starting Place, a non-profit based in Plantation that provides treatment and support services for troubled youth.

Joel Kaufman, The Starting Place's CEO, said non-profit is investigating the matter and will cooperate fully with authorities. Castillo has been terminated, he said.

"Our uppermost concern is for the client and his family and doing whatever we can to make sure they are receiving the assistance they need as they move through this process," Kaufman said in an email statement. "If any parts of the allegations prove to be true, the actions would have been those of a rogue employee acting outside the normal course and scope of his employment and in a criminal manner."

Kaufman also said that before being hired, each therapist must pass comprehensive background screens, and Castillo "met the highest security clearance more than once during his employent."

The report said Castillo, who was the court-ordered counselor for the boy, began to have sexually explicit conversations with the teen shortly after meeting him.

On Sept. 21, when the victim was discharged from The Starting Place program, Castillo picked him up in his Jeep and fondled him in the vehicle, the report said.

The report said that on Oct. 10, Castillo again picked up the boy and drove to an alley in the area of North 35th Avenue and Van Buren Street in Hollywood, where he had sex with the boy.

On Tuesday, after the teen gave a sworn statement detailing the sexual encounters, police went to The Starting Place to question Castillo, the report said.

Castillo admitted to officers that he'd had sex with the boy, the report said.

He was arrested and was being held Wednesday on $20,000 bond. It was unknown whether he has an attorney.

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