11 Felonies, No Jail: Juvenile Back on Streets

Police officer with patrol car and flashing lights.

Florida’s broken juvenile justice system has released a 13-year-old repeat offender back onto the streets despite 11 fresh felony charges, forcing a frustrated sheriff to issue a public safety warning that exposes the dangerous reality of soft-on-crime policies.

Story Highlights

Jesus Gaspar Rojas, 13, charged with 11 felonies including grand theft auto and burglary in Martin County crime spree
Teen released again under Florida’s juvenile point system despite being processed three times in six months
Sheriff John Budensiek publicly warns residents to stay alert, criticizes state detention policies as inadequate
Vulnerable elderly residents express fear as repeat offender returns to deplorable home conditions

Juvenile Justice System Fails Community Safety

Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek finds himself in an impossible position, watching a 13-year-old crime spree suspect walk free despite accumulating 11 felony charges in just days. Jesus Gaspar Rojas stands accused of multiple grand theft auto charges, burglaries, possession of burglary tools, and felony criminal mischief across Port Salerno and South Stuart. The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice’s rigid point-scoring system prevents longer detention, leaving law enforcement powerless to protect residents from this repeat offender.

The teen’s criminal pattern reveals systemic failures that endanger innocent families. Over six months, Rojas has been processed through the juvenile system three separate times, each resulting in quick release back to his mother’s care. Sheriff Budensiek describes the boy’s living conditions as “deplorable,” noting his father was deported for being in the country illegally. This cycle of arrest, brief detention, and release has culminated in an escalating crime spree targeting vulnerable community members.

Elderly Residents Terrorized by Repeat Criminal Activity

At least six victims have suffered property theft and damage from Rojas’s alleged criminal activities, with many being elderly residents who feel particularly vulnerable. Community members express outrage that a 13-year-old can “run the street and take advantage of old people” without meaningful consequences. The crimes include stealing vehicles and golf carts, breaking into homes, and damaging property, creating financial hardship and emotional trauma for victims who trusted their neighborhood’s safety.

Local residents interviewed by CBS12 demand that authorities remove the boy from his current living situation, recognizing that releasing him back to the same environment perpetuates the dangerous cycle. The sheriff’s public warning for residents to report suspicious activity involving Rojas demonstrates how the state’s misguided policies have shifted responsibility from effective law enforcement to fearful citizens conducting their own surveillance.

Sheriff Exposes Dangerous State Policy Constraints

Sheriff Budensiek’s unprecedented public warning reveals the dangerous gap between community safety needs and state juvenile justice policies. Florida law limits most juvenile detention to 21 days, with the Department of Juvenile Justice’s point system preventing longer holds for repeat offenders who don’t meet arbitrary scoring thresholds. The sheriff emphasizes that while Rojas “needs to be locked up” and “needs help,” current regulations tie law enforcement’s hands even when facing clear public safety threats.

This case exemplifies how progressive juvenile justice reforms prioritize theoretical rehabilitation over protecting innocent families from repeat criminals. The Martin County Sheriff’s Office has executed search warrants, recovered stolen property, and used all available legal measures, yet remains constrained by state policies that favor offender rights over victim safety. Such systemic failures demonstrate why local law enforcement needs greater discretion to protect communities from dangerous individuals, regardless of age, when public safety is clearly at risk.