Offender living in South Florida under a false identity
Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) agents arrested sexual offender James William Santiago-Orengo, 59, of Miramar, on four felony counts of failure of a sexual offender to register. He is currently in custody for multiple charges of sexual exhibition-related charges.
Santiago-Orengo was convicted of sexual battery with a weapon and/or by force on February 6, 1989, in Broward County. As a designated sexual offender, he is required to comply with Florida’s sexual offender registration requirements for life. His last registration was in November of 2017 in Orlando by the name of James Santiago. He absconded and has been living under a false identity.
FDLE’s investigation began in May of 2023, when the Pembroke Pines Police Department (PPPD) requested FDLE’s Enforcement and Investigative Support Division’s assistance in locating Santiago-Orengo, who PPPD identified as suspect in a series of indecent exposure incidents.
The investigation uncovered several other incidents in April and May of 2023 involving a male suspect exposing himself to young juvenile females in the cities of Plantation and Davie. Based on the circumstances surrounding the incidents, Santiago-Orengo was believed to be the perpetrator. Agents learned that he had been absconded for nearly six years and had two active arrest warrants in Orange County and Seminole County under his alias names.
Santiago-Orengo was arrested on June 1 and is being held in the Broward County Jail. The case will be prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney, 17th Judicial Circuit.
