PALMETTO, Fla. — A man accused of luring a young girl from a birthday party to sexually abuse her faces additional charges for alleged crimes against seven more children.
Christopher Thompson, 44, faces several counts of lewd and lascivious molestation, sexual abuse and video voyeurism involving kids as young as 6 years old and as old as 13, according to a Manatee County Sheriff's Office news release.
Deputies say the parents of a 6-year-old in Alabama came forward to authorities after they heard of Thompson's initial arrest in April when he allegedly brought a girl to his house from a birthday party across the street and abused her.
Deputies say the girl was forced to watch pornographic material involving children and an adult male. Thompson told the girl not to say anything, and then they went back to the party, the sheriff's office said.
Another case the agency is investigating involves a 9-year-old in Marion County, Florida. An 11-year-old girl unaware of Thompson having recorded her also was identified, deputies said.
"Thompson’s crimes went undetected by multiple members of the community and his family," the sheriff's office said, in part, adding that law enforcement received information from his immediate family to identify the additional victims.
He currently is charged with crimes involving six of eight known victims, with additional charges for child pornography expected to be filed in the days ahead.
Anyone with information about additional alleged crimes is asked to call the Manatee County Sheriff's office at 941-747-3011.