Katie 
Joseph Cherima, 71, of West Palm Beach, Florida.
Joseph Cherima, 71, of West Palm Beach, Florida was arrested on September 2nd, and charged with four counts of sexual assault on a victim under the age of 12. He is being held without bond.
On August 31st, it is alleged that Cherima took the young girl into his bedroom, locked the door, and raped her. When an undisclosed resident of the home began searching for her, the girl cried out. Ten minutes later, Cherima finally let the girl out of the room.
The resident is said to have asked the girl what happened to which she is said to have responded, “He put his thing in my thing and this is not the first time it happened."
In a statement to detectives, she elaborated that, “it hurt really bad," and allegedly Cherima had also made threats on the girl's life if she told anyone.
While unable to recall specific dates, the girl was able to give information that this latest incident was at least the fourth time he had assaulted her. She elaborated that one time it was while her Grandmother was at church. Another time was while she was home playing with her younger sibling, and another while she was hanging up laundry.
Cherima is being held at the main detention center for the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office, and a court date has not been disclosed.
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