What to Know
- Jonathan Diaz Fundora, 23, was arrested Tuesday on charges including kidnapping and sexual battery by a suspect over 18 on a victim under 12
- Fundora, a Burger King manager, took three days off work and traveled to Polk County where he arranged to meet the girl, officials said
A Miami man was arrested after authorities say he kidnapped a 10-year-old Polk County girl he met online and took her to a motel where he sexually battered her.
Jonathan Diaz Fundora, 23, was arrested Tuesday on charges including kidnapping, sexual battery by a suspect over 18 on a victim under 12, traveling to meet a minor, five counts of possession of child pornography, three counts of directing the sexual performance of a child and two counts of using a computer to seduce a child, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Authorities said Fundora met the victim on an online app about six weeks ago and began directing her to perform sex acts and send him photos and videos.
Fundora, who is a Burger King manager, took three days off work and traveled to Polk County where he arranged to meet the girl at the end of the road where she lives, authorities said.
The girl left a note for her parents that she was staying at a friend's house for three days but when they found the note they immediately called authorities to report her missing.
Deputies were able to quickly identify Fundora as the suspect and found his car parked at a Motel 6 in Lakeland, officials said. They were able to find the room he checked into and take him into custody. The girl was found hiding in the bathroom.
Authorities said Fundora sexually battered the girl in the hotel room. Deputies also found photos and videos depicting sex acts sent to him by the girl on his electronic devices, officials said.
Fundora remained behind bars Thursday, jail records showed. Attorney information wasn't available.
"This suspect groomed and manipulated a little girl online and then traveled all the way to Polk County to sexually abuse her – he is the poster child for why it is critical that parents monitor their children’s activities online," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement. "I commend our patrol deputies for catching him in the act of sexually abusing a child, and I shudder to think of what the other horrible consequences would have been had her parent not immediately reported her missing. We will do everything in our power to ensure he spends the rest of his life behind bars."
Local
Burger King released a statement Thursday saying Fundora doesn't work at any of their corporate-owned restaurants.
"We have a zero tolerance policy for violence or harassment of any kind," the statement read. "Almost all our restaurants in the U.S. are independently owned and operated by franchisees who are responsible for handling all employment matters."
