Alachua County Man Arrested for Kidnapping & Sexual Battery

An Alachua man was arrested Tuesday after police believe he kidnapped and raped a woman.

The 50-year-old man and the woman had a previous relationship, a sworn complaint filed by the Alachua Police Department said.

Police said on Dec. 8, the man pulled up next to the woman, who was walking, and told her to get in his truck or he’d “choke her out.”

When the woman got into the man’s truck, he allegedly choked the woman until she lost consciousness, according to the complaint.

Police alleged the man raped the woman twice that day.

Additionally, police said he took the woman’s phone, told her not to leave the truck and that she was being watched.

The complaint says the man held the woman until Tuesday, Dec. 11, when she escaped.

The man was charged Tuesday with sexual battery, domestic violence by strangulation, tampering with a victim, kidnapping and theft.

He is being held in the Alachua County jail on a $1.25 million bond.

Convictions for sexual offenses are not only punished harshly by the criminal justice system, but carry a negative stigma in society at large. A conviction for rape, kidnapping and sexual assault carry severe penalties, which is why it is critical to choose the right criminal defense attorney.

If you’re charged with these crimes in Florida, make no mistake – you’ll need legal help fast. Contact our Alachua County Sexual Battery Defense Attorneys at Whittel & Melton immediately. A conviction for any sex crime can greatly affect the rest of your life, so you need to be aggressively in your defense to protect your future. We will do whatever it takes to achieve the best possible outcome for your case.

For a free consultation, call us today at 352-264-7800 or contact us online.