State Attorney Amira Fox announces that she convened the Collier County Grand Jury and they have returned indictments in four separate cases. The cases were
investigated by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office under the leadership of Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk.
Cristian Cruz Lopez, 27, of Naples, was indicted Wednesday, on one count of Capital Sexual Battery – Child Less than 12 Years of Age, a capital felony, two counts of Lewd or Lascivious Battery, second degree felonies, one count of Lewd or Lascivious Molestation, a life felony, and one count of Lewd or Lascivious Molestation, a second degree felony. The indictment against Lopez, reads in part, that on one or more occasions between and including March 26, 2014 and March 25, 2017, in Collier County, Florida, being 18 years or older, did unlawfully commit ‘’the crimes” upon the “victim,” a child less than 12 years of age. The defendant was arrested in 2021 following an investigation by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Section, after the victim reported the crimes to an adult.
Pedro Lucas Escalante Morales, 28, of Immokalee, was also indicted Wednesday, on one count of Capital Sexual Battery Child Less than 12 Years of Age, a capital felony, three counts of Lewd or Lascivious Battery, second degree felonies, Lewd or Lascivious Molestation, a life felony, and Lewd or Lascivious Molestation, a second degree felony. The indictment against Morales reads in part that on one or more occasions between and including August 14, 2020 and August 13, 2022, in Collier County, Florida, being eighteen years or older, did unlawfully commit “the crimes” upon “the victim,” a child less than 12 years of age. The defendant was arrested in September of this year, after the child victim reported the sexual abuse to a school youth relations Collier County Sheriff’s Deputy.
Today, Randy Eugene Schoolcraft Sr., 43, of Naples, was indicted on 5 counts of Capital Sexual Battery, Child Less than 12 Years of Age, capital felonies, Lewd or Lascivious Molestation, a life felony, Promoting a Sexual Performance by a Child, a first degree felony, and 100 counts of Possession of Child Pornography, second degree felonies. The indictment against Schoolcraft reads in part that on one or more occasions between and including August 1, 2018 and October 12, 2022, in Collier County, Florida, being eighteen years or older, did unlawfully commit “the crimes” upon “the victim,” a child less than 12 years of age. The Collier County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation after the victim wrote the word “help” on a bathroom wall at school. That investigation also led to the discovery of child pornography in the defendant’s possession.
The law in Florida changed on October 1, 2023, making capital sexual battery a true capital crime, meaning crimes occurring after October 1, 2023, carry the possibility of the death penalty. The defendants have been indicted to comply with the new law. These cases took place before October 1, 2023, so the death penalty cannot be sought on these cases as it can be in the future.
Michael Anthony Maldonado, 25, of Immokalee, has been indicted on one count of First Degree Murder, a capital felony, Attempted First Degree Murder – Firearm Causing Great Bodily Harm, a life felony, and Shooting At/Into an Occupied Vehicle, a second degree felony. The indictment against Maldonado reads in part that on or about September 16, 2023, in Collier County, Florida, did unlawfully, from a premeditated design to effect the death of a human being, kill and murder “the victim,” a human being, by shooting her with a firearm. The defendant is accused of crashing his vehicle into another vehicle with two people inside. He is accused of then exiting his vehicle and firing numerous shots from a firearm into the vehicle. One victim died and the second victim, thanks to the life saving actions of the first responding deputies from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, survived the shooting. Maldonado was located and arrested for the crime a short time later.
“I hope these indictments bring some sense of comfort to the surviving victims, and the family and friends of all of the victims in these cases, to see that justice is being served. I want to thank the Collier County Grand Jury for the very serious and difficult work they have done in listening to all of the facts and reviewing evidence in cases as horrendous as these. I also want to give my gratitude to Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk and his entire team at the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. Their work on these cases made today’s indictments possible and their swift actions saved lives,’ said State Attorney Amira Fox.
All of the defendants are in custody and being held with no bond.
Samantha Syoen – Communications Director, State Attorney’s Office