An Aroostook County native and former petting zoo employee has been indicted on multiple counts of child sex abuse after he was arrested in late April in Florence, Alabama.
Daryl Victor Raymond, Jr., formerly of Stockholm, is alleged to have touched six children inappropriately when they visited a traveling petting zoo he was working at in Florence.
According to the indictments handed down by a Lauderdale County (Alabama) grand jury, Raymond is charged with six counts of unlawful sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12.
Florence police received a complaint from a parent shortly before Raymond’s arrest in which they stated inappropriate touching occurred on a pony ride. Since his arrest the families of five other children came forward.
All of the victims were girls between 3 and 6 years old.
Police said Raymond worked for Jungle Safari, a petting zoo based out of Florida.
The zoo was set up in a parking lot in Florence when the alleged incidents occurred.
According to court documents, Raymond would guide the pony by the saddle horn, and that’s when the touching of the victims would occur.
Jungle Safari closed up and left Florence shortly after the first allegation was brought to police.
Raymond, who has denied the charges, remains held in the Lauderdale County Detention center on bail totaling $300,000.
He is scheduled to be arraigned on Sept. 21.
If convicted, Raymond could face up to 20 years in prison for each charge.