BRUSLY — An 18-year-old Abbeville man was booked into the West Baton Rouge Parish Jail on Wednesday after Brusly police say he lied about his age online, traveled roughly 100 miles to meet two 13-year-old girls, and sexually assaulted them.

Andrew Romero faces two counts of third-degree rape, according to a media release from the Brusly Police Department.

The department said officers responded to a 911 call on Sept. 11 after a sexual assault was reported at a Brusly residence involving two juveniles. The suspect had already left the scene when officers arrived.

The victims told officers they met Romero online and had communicated with him for about three weeks through TikTok and Snapchat, according to the release. They believed he was 17 years old.

The girls said they had invited the male to their home to watch a movie, the release states. While in the living room, Romero removed the juveniles' clothing and engaged in sexual acts that the victims did not consent to, according to the department.

After the assault, one of the victims ran to a neighbor's home and called 911, the release said.

Both juveniles were taken to an area hospital, where medical staff observed apparent injuries, according to the department.

Brusly detectives used information from social media platforms, crime cameras and investigative software to identify Romero and determine his address, the release said. Officers confirmed he was 18 years old and had been driving his mother's vehicle at the time of the incident.

Romero was booked into the West Baton Rouge Parish Jail on Wednesday on two counts of third-degree rape.

The Brusly Police Department noted that no further information will be released because the case involves juvenile victims.

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