Man Accused of Repeatedly Raping Middle School Girl

A 69-year-old man was arrested around 1 a.m. in Orange County, Florida on Wednesday for allegedly raping a girl younger than 12 on multiple occasions.

A sex crimes counselor interviewed the girl on Oct. 5 at her school after she reported the alleged incidents. The girl supposedly told deputies that the man touched, molested and raped her numerous times.

The man allegedly denied raping the girl during a police interrogation. Deputies with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said the man admitted to touching the girl over her clothes and rubbing against her private areas.

He was charged with four counts of sexual battery of a child younger than 12, and four counts of lewd and lascivious conduct with a child younger than 12.

He is currently being held in the Orange County Jail without bail.

There are few criminal accusations that are more serious and more devastating than allegations of a sex crime involving a child. Anytime someone is accused of rape of a child under the age of 12, the charge is usually child sexual battery, which involves any type of sexual penetration to a juvenile 12 years of age or younger. Florida state law makes it a capital offense for any person 18 years or older to sexually batter any person 12 years old or younger. Depending on various factors associated with the case, penalties for this crime can run up to life in prison.

Sex crimes allegations involving children are often false or misguided. In fact, there may not be another area of law where so many arrests hinge on just one person’s claim or suspicion. Young children can be readily influenced by others and unfortunately, one child’s unverified sexual allegation against an adult can lead to serious potential consequences for the accused. When you are accused of a sex crime your life, reputation and freedom is on the line, so it is extremely important to have a team of knowledgeable attorneys fighting for your side. At Whittel & Melton, we approach every case differently depending on facets unique to your charges. The key to building your successful defense may include:

• Utilizing trained experts in important areas such as child psychology, medical analysis and DNA evidence.
• Extensive research into the background of any witnesses and/or accusers to decipher possible motives involved in reporting your alleged offense.
• Preparedness to take your case to trial. This includes the use of adept jury selection techniques and other various aspects of trial that could lead to your name being cleared.

One major mistake many people accused of sex crimes believe is that they have much time to sort out an untruthful allegation like rape, but the reality is that time is of the essence. In the time leading up to your arrest, prosecutors and police may be aggressively pinning a compelling case against you. It is highly important to your defense to contact the Florida Rape Defense Lawyers at Whittel & Melton to start piecing together strategies and evidence on your behalf. We are available nights and weekends to discuss your high-stakes criminal defense in relation to all types of sex crimes charges such as Sexual Battery, Internet Sex Traps, Human Trafficking, Child Molestation and Child Pornography.

If you or someone you care for has been accused of sexually abusing a child anywhere in the state of Florida, contact the Florida Sex Crimes Defense Attorneys at Whittel & Melton online or call our Orlando office toll-free at 866-608-5529.