Photo: CBS 12
A South Florida Taekwondo instructor is facing serious charges after a 17-year old girl came forward to say he was "sexually fondling" her.
62-year old Leo Gerard Bonaparte faces three counts of lewd and lascivious behavior of a minor...one charge for each time the teen claims it happened, going back to March.
"There's a lot of questioning the victim, versus understanding that they were in a place where a perpetrator committed a crime."
Victim Services advocate Rene Boone tells CBS 12 News it could take a while for victims to make a report because of fear of being blamed or not being taken seriously.
The alleged crimes occurred at Millenium Martial Arts in Boca Raton, of which Bonaparte is part-owner. The girl was a student of his, taking private lessons.
"80 percent of sexual assaults are committed by someone you know. Someone you trust. It can be a teacher, a parent, a neighbor."
Police arrested Bonaparte after a controlled phone call between him and the girl, in which he admitted to the crimes while an officer was listening.