Man molests teen boy in library bathroom, police say

Starbucks barista Robert Gittle, 25, meets teen on Grindr

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. – A 25-year-old Starbucks barista was arrested Tuesday after he molested a teen boy he'd met on Grindr, Coral Springs police said.

Robert Gittle met the victim in March through the dating app, police said. At the time, the victim was 14 and claimed to be 18. 

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Gittle, who was on bond out of New Jersey for manufacturing, distribution and possession of child pornography, began texting the victim, police said. They eventually met at the upstairs men's restroom in a library near the teen's school. 

It was in the bathroom that police said Gittle and the victim performed oral sex on each other, police said. 

The teen told police about the incident and gave his phone to them in order for forensic analysis to be conducted.

An undercover officer sent a text to Gittle on July 18 to re-establish communication, police said. That officer reminded Gittle of the boy's age.

"Robert Gittle acknowledged that the child was a minor and continued the text exchange," an arrest report said.

It was in those text messages that Gittle showed an eagerness to meet the teen and alluded to a sexual encounter, but "did not provide any details of his intentions," police said.

"Gittle informed the child not to discuss sex in the text message because it could get him in trouble," police said.

Gittle met with an undercover officer Tuesday inside a library in Coral Springs, where he was arrested on charges that include lewd and lascivious battery and for traveling to solicit a minor for purposes of engaging in unlawful sexual conduct.