PLANTATION KEY -- The jury that will deliberate the trial of accused child molester Genaro Ferro was expected to hear testimony Tuesday, Nov. 17 from the two girls he allegedly battered.

Jury selection in the Ferro case was Monday. The 48-year-old former mechanic could face up to life in prison if convicted of two counts of battery on a child and two counts of molestation.

Ferro was arrested in October 2007 after the victims, sisters who were ages 6 and 8 at the time, told their mother that he had fondled their breasts and repeatedly performed oral sex on them between June and September of that year.

The older sister told an investigator that they stayed with Ferro for a month during that summer while their parents were in Honduras. She said he frequently molested her while she was asleep.

The younger sister told investigators that Ferro had her touch his penis. She also said that he warned them that they would get in trouble if they told their mom, the Ferro arrest warrant says.

Ferro's attorney, Chief Assistant Public Defender Michael Strickland, declined to comment on the pending trial last week. Ferro, though, denied the allegations in a pair of 2007 phone calls, one between he and one of the girls and the other involving he and the girls' mother, according to the warrant. Both calls were staged by police investigators.

The girls were expected to testify via closed circuit camera Tuesday rather than confronting Ferro directly, a scenario that was allowed by Chief Monroe County Circuit Judge Luis Garcia

Prosecutors expected to wrap up their case Wednesday, Assistant State Attorney Colleen Dunne said last week.

In addition to the girls, Dunne planned to call the nurse who examined them, Monroe County Sheriff's Office Detective Linda Mixon, who investigated the case, and relatives of the alleged victims.

Opening arguments in the case were to be delivered on Monday afternoon, after press time.

rsilk@keysnews.com