28-year-old Cape Coral man accused of raping 15-year-old girl

The Cape Coral Police Department has arrested a man for the alleged rape of a 15-year-old.

According to police, Christian Edward Hartman, 28, was arrested on Thursday after the father of the victim reported the alleged sexual battery of his daughter.

“A father and daughter that came to the Cape Coral Police Department lobby to explain that his daughter was a victim of sexual battery. So we immediately started investigating from there,” said Cape Coral Police Officer Mercedes Simonds.

Hartman allegedly met the victim at a car meet-up a few days prior, where they had exchanged phone numbers while telling the girl he was 18 years old.

According to police, Hartman then asked the victim to enter his van to listen to music.

“Being a 15-year-old girl, she felt under pressure. And so she got in the van with them. She said that there were no seats. It was just a mattress. There was curtains on the windows, so obviously not a good scenery. And then she was actually battered by this 28-year-old male,” said Officer Simonds.

The victim told police that was when he attacked her, mentioning that the van had no seats, only a mattress and curtains covering the windows.

“If anybody feels like they’ve been a victim of this, come forward, talk to the police department, and let us work it out with you. We have a lot of different resources we can offer you even just therapy alone is going to be really helpful for any victims,” said Officer Simonds.

Following an investigation, detectives found and interviewed Hartman, who confessed to the allegations.

Hartman was arrested and faces one count of sexual battery. Hartman is still in custody at the Lee County Jail.

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