Satellite Beach, FL – A horrific case of sexual assault has hit the community of Satellite Beach, with allegations that a 36-year-old man, Federico Gullen Maldonado, repeatedly sexually battered a 14-year-old girl at Las Monarcas Mexican Restaurant, a well-known local establishment located at 1390 Highway A1A where he worked. According to an arrest affidavit filed by the Satellite Beach Police Department, Maldonado, who is allegedly in the United States illegally, faces multiple charges of Lewd or Lascivious Battery and Lewd or Lascivious Molestation, both second-degree felonies.
The victim, identified only by her initials to protect her identity, was 14 years old at the time of the assaults. The assaults reportedly took place between May and June 2024, primarily in a storage closet and other areas of the restaurant, including near the dishwashing sink and a walk-in refrigerator. The girl, who helped at the family-owned restaurant, was allegedly coerced by Maldonado, a cook at Las Monarcas, into various sexual acts, including forced intercourse and oral sex.

According to the affidavit, Maldonado initiated contact with the girl. in September 2023 when he began working at the restaurant. Their interactions escalated after he returned to the restaurant in April 2024, following a brief absence. Maldonado allegedly groomed the minor, showering her with compliments and engaging in inappropriate physical contact, such as kissing and hugging, before the assaults occurred. She reported feeling scared and frozen during the encounters, stating she “just let him” assault her due to fear and uncertainty. “I didn’t know what to do,” she told detectives. After the assaults, Maldonado would go right back to cooking according to the report.