A Floral City man has been arrested in connection with sex charges related to alleged sex with an underage girl several years ago.

Arrested was John E. Welfel Jr., 49, of Floral City.

The Citrus County Sheriff's Office arrested Welfel on Saturday, following an information report the CCSO had received from Manatee County.

The girl, now 27, told Manatee County law enforcement officials that she had been between 10 and 16 years of age at the time of the alleged offenses. She said the offenses first began at a residence on Gospel Island Road and continued when she moved to Inverness, and that the first offenses happened when she was 10 years old. The offenses continued, she said, until she ran away at age 16.

She also alleged that the offenses usually occurred when Welfel drank alcohol which, she said, was most of the time. She said the sex acts usually occurred in his bedroom, behind a locked door.

After being read his rights, Welfel denied the allegations against him to a Citrus County investigator, but did say he exposed himself to the girl when she was 10. He also denied having sex with the girl, and asked for an attorney while being questioned.

Welfel was arrested and taken to the Citrus County jail, where he faces several felony charges related to the alleged incidents.

His bond was set at none.