Palm Coast Man Jailed on $160,000 Bond Over Molestation Charges Involving 2 Children

Three years ago Joel Aiello, now a 42-year-old resident of 179 Frontier Drive in Palm Coast, was arrested on a felony forgery charge. His arrest report states he forged a $1,200 check out of his own daughter’s account. Bank surveillance cameras and his daughter’s positively identifying him linked him to the crime. Aiello pleaded no contest, entered into a pre-trial intervention agreement, enabling the charge to be dropped upon completion of the agreement, and June 2014, the charge was dropped. Aiello was divorced in 2007 and remarried since.

Monday evening, Aiello was arrested on five felony counts of sexual improprieties involving children–a 14-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl.

Both children were interviewed by the Child Protective Team on Monday, telling investigators of incidents going back a year, while the girl reported an incident as recently as last month. The children said they were inappropriately touched by Aiello.

In both alleged victims’ cases, they said according to Aiello’s arrest report, he “acted inappropriate, making sexual comments,” and enticing the children to perform sexual acts by “making deals” with them.

In one case, Aiello faces a charge of lewd or lascivious conduct, a third-degree felony, and lewd or lascivious molestation on a child older than 12 but younger than 18, a second-degree felony. In the other case, he faces charges of lewd or lascivious molestation on a child younger than 12, a first-degree felony, a second count of lewd or lascivious molestation on a child older than 12, a second-degree felony, and a lewd or lascivious conduct charge, a third-degree felony.

Aiello was booked at the Flagler County jail just before midnight Monday on a bond of $160,000. He remained at the jail this afternoon. His felony arraignment is scheduled for March 8.