77-Year-Old Accused of Molesting Child

A 77-year-old New Port Richey man was accused recently of molesting a child.

A 4-year-old girl told a Pasco County Sheriff’s deputy recently that during frequent visits to Richard Dyke’s residence, Dyke would take her to an outdoor laundry room.

Once alone, Dyke would rub the girl’s sex organ and ask if it felt good, according to an arrest report. When she asked him to stop, he would tell her to keep the encounter “their secret."

Also, the man exposed his sex organ to the girl and enticed her to hold and touch it, the girl told deputies.

When questioned by a detective, Dyke admitted to “allowing” the girl to hold and touch his  sex organ, but  he said the girl initiated it. He said he should have prevented the behavior but allowed it to continue. He also said he massaged her sex organ because he thought she would like it.

Dyke, of 5192 Rubber Tree Circle, New Port Richey, was arrested Wednesday. He was booked into the Land O’ Lakes jail on a charge of lewd and lascivious molestation but released the same day on $150,000 bond.