68-Year-Old Accused of Consensual Sexual Activity with a Minor Arrested

A 68-year-old Tampa man was arrested Tuesday on charges of unlawful sexual activity with a minor.

The man is accused of having sex with a 17-year-old girl multiple times.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said the multiple sexual encounters between the man and teen were consensual.

Officials said the pair met in December of 2016. The relationship started as friends, but over time, developed into a consensual sexual relationship.

Between June 2017 and July 2017, their sexual activity occurred on numerous occasions at the teen’s home and at the man’s Tampa residence.

The teen’s parent discovered the relationship and contacted the sheriff’s office.

The man was arrested and charged with 21 counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor.

Unlawful sexual activity with a minor is a second-degree felony in the state of Florida and occurs when a person who is 24 years of age or older engages in sexual activity with a person 16 or 17 years old. The interesting thing about this charge is that it is legal for a person aged 18-23 to have consensual sex with a 16- or 17-year-old. If convicted of this crime, the penalties can include:

• A maximum of 15 years in prison
• Up to 15 years on probation as a sex offender
• A maximum fine up to $10,000

As you can see, Florida law provides harsh consequences to those convicted of sex crimes, including unlawful sexual activity with a minor. Due to the complexities of sex crimes cases, you need to enlist the help of a Florida Sex Crimes Lawyer at Whittel & Melton who can fight for your rights in court. To learn more about how we can help with your case, call us today at 866-608-5529 or contact us online for a free consultation.