Accused child abuser from Inverness sets his trial date in Minnesota

Citrus County Chronicle - 4/18/2018

Robert Lloyd Messersmith and his child-sex charges from Minnesota will go in front of a jury.

During his Monday morning court hearing in Hennepin County, Minnesota, the 75-year-old Inverness man pleaded not guilty to five charges connected to his alleged sexual abuse of several boys, and his trial was scheduled for the week of June 25, court records show.

Messersmith, who is out on a $50,000 bond, traveled back to Florida, where he'll remain until his trial nears, said his attorney Philip Villaume, who wouldn't comment further about the case.

"I can't get into the legalities of it now because it's confidential," Villaume said, citing attorney-client privileges.

Messersmith is charged with a felony on allegations of soliciting a child to engage in sexual conduct, a misdemeanor count of criminal sexual conduct and three felony counts of criminal sexual conduct.

His charges stem back to allegations he sexually abused a number of boys in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, where he lived just before moving to Inverness in 2014.

If convicted as charged, Messersmith could be sentenced to up to 85 years in state prison.

Hennepin County Attorney's Office spokesman Chuck Laszewski said prosecutors have filed a motion to have the judge allow them to refer to similar criminal cases against Messersmith from his past at trial.

Messersmith has prior convictions in child sex-abuse cases from 1975 and 1989, reports show.

In November 2017, Citrus County sheriff's deputies arrested Messersmith on a Hennepin County arrest warrant.

After Messersmith waived his extradition rights, local authorities handed him over police in Hennepin County for a first appearance on Feb. 7, reports show.

As part of his current bond conditions, Messersmith must have no contact with his victims, remain law-abiding, let the court know of his current address and make all future court hearings.

He also waived his extradition rights, which means if he decides not to make a hearing, he will be transported straight back to Hennepin County without being able to challenge.

Contact Chronicle reporter Buster Thompson at 352-564-2916 or bthompson@chronicleonline.com.