Ex-Federal Prison Guard Receives 20 Years for Home Invasion and Sexual Battery

Whittel & Melton, LLC 866-608-5529 – Florida Sex Crimes Attorneys

A 40-year-old former federal prison guard was sentenced to 20 years in state prison following a conviction for armed burglary and sexual battery.

The Leesburg man was convicted of four felonies in the March 2010 crime, including armed burglary, armed kidnapping, armed sexual battery and aggravated assault with a firearm.

Court records show the man was on disability leave from the Federal Correctional Complex in Coleman where he was a corrections officer.

In March 2010, the man apparently surprised a woman at her home and put a pistol to her cheek.

Court records indicate he forced her to take a shower while he watched, tied her to her bed and forced her to perform a sex act.

The woman was eventually freed.

The man allegedly threatened to commit suicide, but the woman calmed him down before he left.

A Lake County jury found the man guilty of the four felonies and acquitted him of a fifth charge of stalking in January.

In addition to the 20-year prison term, the man has been branded a sex offender.

Sexual battery, also known as rape, is aggressively prosecuted in Florida criminal courts. When facing this charge, you could be subject to extremely harsh penalties, including considerable time in prison. The penalties associated with a sexual battery conviction vary depending on several circumstances – the age of the victim and the accused, whether the accused is in a position of authority over the victim and if the accused used force or threatened violence.

Certain acts of sexual battery are deemed especially serious and carry enhanced consequences. Sexual battery using force or a deadly weapon is classified as a life felony carrying a maximum sentence of life in prison. If the weapon happens to be something other than a firearm or explosive, the minimum sentence that can be imposed is five and a half years. When the weapon is a firearm or explosive, Florida statutes enforce much stiffer minimum sentences, including:

  • 10 Years for the Use of a Firearm or Explosive
  • 20 Years if the Firearm or Explosive Device is Discharged
  • 25 Years if the Firearm or Explosive Device Seriously Injures or Kills Someone

It is important to understand that if you or someone you love has been arrested for a sexual battery offense, no matter what the details, it is crucial to get a Florida Sex Crime Lawyer working on your case and fighting for you as quickly as possible. The Florida Sex Crimes Lawyers at Whittel & Melton provide legal assistance to those charged with serious criminal offenses in state and federal courts throughout the state of Florida. If you are accused of a crime, you need an aggressive attorney to fight for your rights.

If you or a loved one is facing a sexual battery charge anywhere in Florida, contact the Florida Sex Crimes Lawyers at Whittel & Melton online or reach us statewide and toll-free by dialing 866-608-5529.

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