MARION COUNTY, Fla. — The Marion County Sheriff’s Office arrested 62-year-old Geraldo Rivera-Serrano for allegedly molesting two children, and they say more victims are likely.
Deputies are now encouraging anyone who knew Rivera-Serrano to have a difficult conversation with their children.
According to investigators, Rivera-Serrano repeatedly abused the victims at family gatherings and late at night when others were sleeping.
“If you’ve been around him and your children have been around him. It’s worth asking the hard questions,” said Lt. Paul Bloom with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, “We believe very strongly that there is a high probability that there are further victims.”
According to deputies, he abused two girls who were siblings multiple times between 2019 and 2023.
Both victims were able to provide detailed descriptions of the abuse in which Rivera-Serrano would isolate himself with the children to molest them.
During the incidents of sexual abuse, Rivera-Serrano would tell the victims that he was playing “games” or “tickling” them.
He also used threats to keep the abuse secret, deputies say.
According to investigators, Rivera-Serrano told the victims if they kept the secret, he would not do it to anyone else.
According to an arrest report, on February 20th, deputies intercepted a call between Rivera-Sanrano and one of the victims where deputies say he acknowledged molesting the victims but claimed he never meant to hurt them.
He was arrested at his Ocala home, the following morning, as he was returning from a vacation in Puerto Rico.
Rivera Serrano was charged with six counts of Lewd or Lascivious Molestation of a Child Younger than 12 Years of Age and one count of Lewd or Lascivious Molestation of a Child Older than 12 Years of Age.
Anyone with information that could assist with the continued investigation is encouraged to call Detective Osthed with the Marion County Seriff’s Office at (352) 351-4710.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2025 Cox Media Group
