Community pillar accused of sexually preying on child

A Georgetown man who spent years helping Spanish-speaking immigrants in South Putnam County receive the services they need has been accused of sexually assaulting the child of a family he has known since before the child was born.

Gilberto del Castillo-España, 82, was charged Tuesday with the sexual battery of a victim younger than 12 and resisting arrest, according to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. 

The family of the victim, whose name, age, and gender are not being released due to the severity of the crime, reported del Castillo-España to authorities in May after they noticed changes in their child’s behavior and weight, sheriff’s office Col. Joe Wells said. 

“It’s been a very long, protracted investigation,” the colonel said. 

While the family reported the crime in May, the instances of abuse are said to have begun months before then. Wells was not sure Wednesday just how far back the abuse began but said it is possible del Castillo-España targeted the child. 

Investigators first suspected del Castillo-España had caused only physical harm, Wells said, but the investigation later revealed sexual assault. 

“I would tell you that I hate to render an opinion on what will happen after a lengthy trial,” Wells said. “These trials are difficult when the cases are older and the child is this young, but I can tell you that what is needed to make an arrest is probable cause. … We far exceed that level of proof.” 

Del Castillo-España is well-known in the Crescent City community and began working with the Putnam County School District in an adult education program for migrant workers in 1998, Wells said. In 2002, del Castillo-España started working in the district as an English for Speakers of Other Languages program coordinator, a position he kept until 2015, the colonel confirmed. 

Even outside of his work with the school district, the suspect would help Spanish-speaking immigrants in South Putnam get acclimated in the area, receive health care services and secure other vital resources.

The suspect did not have direct contact with children in classrooms, but he could have been targeting the victim’s family because the child’s parents are undocumented immigrants, Wells said. 

He said del Castillo-España has known the victim since he was born and would have to have known the child’s parents are not from this country. The family was likely afraid del Castillo-España, who owned the vehicles the family used, could have outed their immigration status, Wells added. 

Despite their worries, the family reported their suspicions to a faith leader, who eventually reported the allegations to authorities, Wells said. He hopes more families feel comfortable reporting any crime to the sheriff’s office, no matter their immigration status.  

“What the family ended up doing, which is great and it worked out here for the better, is they sought the advice of a faith leader,” Wells said. “And then, from there, the faith leader worked with them and encouraged them to where it was finally reported.” 

When it comes to a crime, he said, the sheriff’s office is not looking to see if victims are documented immigrants. The agency only wants to help victims get the justice they deserve, Wells said. 

As of Wednesday, no one else had come forward to accuse del Castillo-España of abuse, and Wells said there is no evidence of any other suspect being involved with this case. 

People who suspect del Castillo-España may have abused their children or other members of their family are encouraged to report it, as with any crime. Wells said the language barrier is not a problem as the agency has detectives who speak Spanish. 

Child protection teams are also involved in cases like this to protect the victims, as are a pediatrician, a mental health professional and other services that can help young victims of abuse. 

People who want to contact the sheriff’s office about this or any case can call 386-329-0800.

“At the end of the day, what we’d like to see is this man never see the light of day again,” Wells said. “But even more importantly, we want to restore this child back to a healthy, productive lifestyle.”