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Richard Tapia, 46, was taken into custody on July 22 in Flagler County following an investigation that revealed he transported an underage girl from Jacksonville to the Microtel Inn & Suites at 16 Kingswood Drive in Palm Coast, according to law enforcement officials. Detectives believe the suspect initially contacted the victim through a mobile application before arranging the meeting.
Family members of the girl located her by tracking her cellular device and immediately notified law enforcement, prompting deputies to move in. Tapia now faces a felony charge of interference with custody of a minor, and investigators seized his cell phone and clothing as evidence in connection with an ongoing sex offense inquiry.
Miami-Dade College confirmed that Tapia is no longer employed by the institution, stating the college terminated his position within weeks of learning about the allegations. The college released a statement emphasizing its zero-tolerance policy for conduct endangering minors and reaffirming its commitment to maintaining a safe campus environment.
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