Ocala Man Convicted of Lewd Conduct with Teen Receives 15 Years in Prison

A 26-year-old Ocala man charged with battery and lewd or lascivious conduct on a 13-year-old girl was sentenced to 15 years in prison last week after a jury found him guilty.

Authorities arrested the man in May 2013 after the victim’s mother called law enforcement to report an incident involving her teenage daughter.

According to officers, the man went to the teen’s home while she was alone and asked her to have sex with him.

The man apparently told the teenager that other people in the neighborhood told him she wanted to have sex with him. According to reports, the man attempted to hug the girl, but she asked him to leave because he was scaring her. She allegedly pushed him out of the house and slammed the door.

When her mother came home, the teen shared with her what happened with the man. The mother then contacted law enforcement.

The man was initially charged with burglary in the case on top of the sex crimes charges, but prosecutors did not pursue that charge.

Lewd conduct is quite a serious criminal offense in Florida. If you have been accused of lewd conduct, you are probably scared, confused, embarrassed, and possibly angry. These charges involve any conduct that could be considered offensive or indecent. While lewd conduct accusations can be less serious than other sexual offenses, as this case shows, the consequences can still be steep and wreak havoc on your freedom and your reputation.

The reality behind lewd conduct charges is that they are prosecuted quite vigorously because they are sex crimes. All sexually motivated crimes are considered especially heinous when they involve a minor. Because of this, prison time, loss of professional licenses and mandatory counseling are just a few of the consequences you could face if convicted of lewd conduct. You could be forced to register as a sex offender, which will undoubtedly follow you for the rest of your life.

While criminal charges for lewd conduct and other sexual-based offenses can be overwhelming, never let police or prosecutors intimidate you into admitting guilt or keep you from contacting an sex crimes defense attorney as soon as possible. An Ocala Sex Crimes Lawyer at Whittel & Melton can protect your rights from the start of your case to its finish, all while protecting your reputation. You need to make sure that you have an effective defense mounted right away. Call us today at 352-369-5334 for a free, confidential consultation or contact us online.