FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. — A Palm Coast teenager and his stepfather were arrested after investigators determined they knowingly harbored a habitual runaway juvenile who had been reported missing multiple times, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies arrested 17-year-old Christopher Galezaai and 53-year-old Richard Rios Jr. following an investigation into a series of missing person cases involving a juvenile female identified as Galezaai’s girlfriend.
Authorities said the most recent incident began April 2, 2026, marking the seventh time in the past year the juvenile had been reported missing.
Investigators said that after each report, deputies often located the juvenile with Galezaai. In the latest case, the juvenile returned home April 4 but left again the next day following a disagreement with her parents.
On April 5, Galezaai’s mother contacted authorities to turn the juvenile over to law enforcement. Deputies responded and found Galezaai with his mother and the missing juvenile.
During the investigation, Major Case Unit detectives determined that Galezaai had Rios pick up the juvenile and bring her to their residence, where they allowed her to stay for an extended period without notifying her parents or law enforcement, despite prior warnings from deputies.
Authorities also said both Galezaai and Rios provided false and misleading statements to conceal their involvement.
Sheriff Rick Staly criticized the actions, saying the repeated incidents diverted law enforcement resources and cost taxpayers money. He said the agency plans to seek reimbursement for those costs.
Both Galezaai and Rios were charged with interfering with the custody of a minor, a third-degree felony in Florida punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
They were transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility. Galezaai was later released to his parents under the direction of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, while Rios was released on a $2,500 bond.
Authorities said Rios has an extensive criminal history, including a prior arrest in Colorado for harboring a minor and other arrests involving burglary, domestic battery, DUI, aggravated battery, child neglect and probation violations.
The investigation remains ongoing.