A Citrus County man will spend the rest of his life behind bars after being convicted of multiple counts of child molestation.
Judge Joel D. Fritton on Wednesday sentenced Christopher James Cassidy, 45, to life in prison, plus an additional 15-year sentence, following his conviction on four counts of lewd and lascivious molestation. Two of the counts involved a child under 12 years old, and two involved a child under 16.
The case began in May 2024, when Deputy Levi Garrison with the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) responded to a report of a past sexual assault involving a 12-year-old victim. Investigators learned Cassidy had admitted during a conversation at dinner that he had touched the child inappropriately. He was asked to leave the residence shortly after.
The victim later confirmed the abuse, telling authorities that Cassidy had instructed them to stay silent. Detective Jason Cook from CCSO’s Special Victims Unit led the investigation. During an interview at Jessie’s Place, a Child Protective Team facility, the victim provided a consistent account of the molestation.
When questioned, Cassidy made several admissions about the incident and was subsequently arrested.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Kevin Davis and Kaitlyn Mannis, who secured the guilty verdict last month.
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