(July 7, 2025) — On Sunday, July 6, 2025, at around 1 PM, officers with the Cape Coral Police Department were called to 1890 NE Pine Island Rd, Cape Coral, Florida, for a report of inappropriate touching.
The caller said her 17-year-old daughter was groped from behind by an unknown man who abruptly left the location. Officers met with the minor and her family member. The family member said the minor was shopping in a different area of the store with her sibling. The two ran over to the family member to tell him that a man had grabbed the 17-year-old. The family member confronted the male and asked him if he touched the minor, who didn’t respond and walked out of the store northbound, crossing NE Pine Island Rd on foot.
The minor told officers she was shopping with her sibling in the electronics section when a white male with short curly hair wearing a plaid shirt and sunglasses walked up to them and was “creeping” around them. They walked back to their family member until the male left. Once the male left, they returned to the electronics section and continued shopping. The minor told officers the male then came back, grabbed her rear, and the two ran back to their family member to tell him what happened. The sibling confirmed the male’s description.
A review of surveillance video confirmed the events and showed the male grab the minor’s buttocks.
At around 4 PM that same day, officers were called to 1819 NE Pine Island Rd, Cape Coral, Florida, in reference to a burglary.
The reporting party said a white male with a beard, around 20-30 years old, attempted to enter her vehicle while her two minor daughters were inside. The male was last seen walking west through the parking lot toward 1733 NE Pine Island Rd.
Officers observed a male matching the description and detained him. The reporting party confirmed he was the man who attempted to access her vehicle. The reporting party told officers she witnessed the man throw something inside nearby recycling bins. In those bins, officers found a torn-up Social Security card for Nelson Antonio Prado.
The reporting party told officers she and her daughters went into the business to purchase items. When they exited the vehicle, the reporting party said she noticed a white male with a beard staring at her daughters near the store entrance. When they exited, the reporting party said the male was no longer there. The daughters got into the rear right side of the vehicle and the front passenger seat, and the reporting party went back inside to assist a friend. When the reporting party returned to the car, she said her daughters were scared and visibly shaking. They told her the man attempted to the doors of the vehicle, but it was locked.
The minors reported seeing the male “smiling creepily” at them in the store. They said he was staring right at them as he attempted to enter the rear right door of the vehicle, but the car was locked. He then walked to the front passenger door. The minors said they began screaming, and the man turned and walked away.
Officers completed a show-up, and both girls identified the man they detained as the one who tried to get into their vehicle.
While searching Prado’s person, officers found a screwdriver and a bottle of Hello Cake silicon-based lube in his pockets.
The man, identified as Nelson Antonio Prado (DOB 08/28/1997), was arrested on burglary charges.
The minor in the case of inappropriate touching that occurred at 1890 NE Pine Island Rd earlier that day was called to the secondary location for a show-up and identified Nelson as the man who touched her inappropriately.
A Detective in the Special Victims Unit assumed the case. Nelson was transported to the Cape Coral Police Department for an interview.
Based on the investigation, Prado was also charged with lewd and lascivious touching of a minor.
Nelson was transported to the Lee County Jail. While there, he continuously asked the female officer if she was the person who would be changing him into different clothing, and kept trying to rub his legs against the officer despite being told multiple times to stop.
Nelson Antonio Prado (DOB 08/28/1997) was arrested on the following charges:
–1 count in violation of F.S.S 794.051, Indecent, Lewd, or Lascivious Touching of Certain Minors
–1 count in violation of FS.S. 810.02(3)(d), Burglary of an Occupied Conveyance (Unarmed)
–1 count in violation of F.S.S. 810.06, Possession of Burglary Tools with the Intent to Use Them
