PBSO Uses DNA Database To Identify Snapchat Predator Who Raped Boca Teen

Joshua Rudnicky Of Naples, FL Identified By Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office As Rape Suspect After DNA Database Hit

BOCA RATON, FL – Boca Post (BocaPost.com) — PBSO arrested 31-year-old Joshua Rudnicky from Naples who is accused of sexual battery of a young girl after two Boca Raton teens reported the incident to investigators.

Two Boca Raton teenagers used Snapchat to meet a man who said he was 22 years old. The 12-year-old and 13-year-old girls told the man they were both 15 years old. He was lying as well, he was actually in his thirties.

After the three exchanged pictures, Joshua Rudnicky, who the girls only knew as “Braunstrong” or “Eric Braun”, arranged to meet up with the girls in Boca Raton.

One of the girls says that Rudnicky found them on Snapchat and she added him as a friend. The girl says that Rudnicky convinced them that they should hang out sometime. The girls admit that they eventually said yes to hanging out. Rudnicky, who was 29 years old at the time of the incident in June of 2020, picked up the girls in front of Boca Pointe in a silver SUV.

The trio parked in the parking lot of Palms of Boca Del Mar because one of the girls was familiar with that location. The girls later told investigators that Rudnicky gave them marijuana gummies which were in the form of gummy bears. One of the girls says that she felt “weird” after eating the gummies.

“Because I went with a guy that raped me and did something to my friend.”

While investigators were interviewing the girls, one told investigators that the reason she was there was “Because I went with a guy that raped me and did something to my friend.”

While in the Palms of Boca Del Mar parking lot, Rudnicky propositioned one of the victims for oral or vaginal sex, telling her to choose one as he locked the door. While Rudnicky raped one of the girls he allegedly looked at the other girl and told her “Watch so I don’t do it to you”.

When investigators asked the victims about Rudnicky, they couldn’t identify him because they only knew his Snapchat alias and a fake name. The young girl’s description of his age and ethnicity also varied, calling him “Indian” or “White” with an age ranging from his 20s to his 40s. They also didn’t know what type of vehicle or have a plate number. Essentially, he could have been anyone.

A medical assessment performed by the Child Protection Team confirmed the sexual abuse. DNA evidence was collected and processed, resulting in a CODIS hit. Note, CODIS an acronym for Combined DNA Index System, which is an FBI program to support criminal justice DNA databases.

PBSO investigators were able to identify Rudnicky based on the CODIS hit. This means that Rudnicky had his DNA sampled and inventoried, most likely because he was previously convicted or at least the subject of a criminal investigation involving sexual assault.

The girls both positively ID’d Rudnicky in a photo array.

PBSO obtained a warrant to arrest Rudnicky in July of 2021. The warrant was served and Rudnicky was arrested by the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office on August 15th, 2022. Records obtained by Boca Post suggest that Rudnicky has been living in Naples but has ties to Boynton Beach as well.

Rudnicky is currently in the custody of the PBSO jail with a bond set at $150,000.