PORT CHARLOTTE — Charlotte County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit detectives arrested an 18-year-old man for having sex with a 14-year-old girl in her unsupervised Port Charlotte home. Arrested for lewd or lascivious battery was Sylvester Hamm Jr., of the 1400 block of Pulaski Street, Port Charlotte. CCSO received a tip and responded to the home. Deputies located Hamm and two other men, ages 18 and 19, along with two juvenile girls, ages 14 and 17, living with them with no parents or guardians present. Deputies were told by the girl that she lives in the home with Hamm and her guardian is in jail. She advised Hamm is her boyfriend and lives with her and they have had consensual sex.

MCU detectives responded to the home and in turn contacted the Department of Children and Families concerning the two juvenile girls living in the home with no supervision. Detectives took the 14-year-old girl to be interviewed by the CCSO’s forensic interviewer. MCU detectives determined probable cause that Hamm had sexual intercourse with the girl three to four times in September and October in her bedroom, and that Hamm knew she was 14 years old. The two girls were taken into custody by a DCF investigator. Hamm was arrested at his home Tuesday and taken to the Charlotte County Jail, where he remains on no bond. This is his second booking.