Hawthorne Man Accused of Sexually Assaulting Minor

A Hawthorne man accused of sexually abusing a girl since she was 10 years old was arrested Wednesday.

The 40-year-old man was charged with two counts of sexual assault on a 17-year-old girl. However, deputies said in an sworn affidavit filed by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office that the abuse started when the girl was 10.

The girl and the man apparently knew each other through the girl’s mother.

The man is accused of raping the girl as recently as August, the affidavit said.

The girl told investigators that the man would beg her to have sex with him, despite her saying she didn’t want to and it hurt her.

The girl’s mother found out about the alleged abuse in December and contacted law enforcement.

The man was served a warrant for the sexual abuse charges Wednesday and booked into the Alachua County jail. His bond is set at $300,000.

If you are accused, arrested, or charged with a sex offense, you need a Florida Sexual Assault Defense Attorney at Whittel & Melton to quickly assess the facts of your case in order to devise a plan of action to help you obtain the best outcome available. The stakes in a sexual assault case are high. A lengthy prison sentence is a very real possibility. A conviction for a sex offense can also lead to mandatory lifetime reporting requirements on public sex offender registries.

Early intervention by a defense attorney in sex crimes cases is critical, as there may be ways to convince the prosecution to not file charges at all. While every case is unique, there may be ways we can help you to avoid a conviction or possibly have the charges against you reduced or dismissed entirely.

Call us today at 352-264-7800 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation if you have been accused, arrested, or charged with a sex offense in Alachua County.