Airport police officer arrested accused of sexual battery in Clay County

A police officer at Jacksonville International Airport was arrested on a sexual battery charge in Clay County and has been placed on leave from his position. Police said the defendant molested her for nearly a year and the two had “non-consensual sex” several times, according to a report in the Florida Times-Union. The report does not say how old the woman is that the 46-year-old man is accused of sexually battering, but the accuser appears to be an adult and not a child – based on the charges. It’s unclear if there is any sort of work connection to the relationship, but police said the incidents happened in a home and not on airport property, the newspaper reported.

An accusation alone in a Clay County Sex Crimes Case can be enough to tarnish a reputation and be extremely difficult to recover from. Perhaps more than any other type of crime, our society tends to immediately convict someone when a sex crime claim is brought out. In reality, Clay County Sex Crime Cases can be among the most difficult for the state to prove. In many cases, there is little, if any, physical evidence to draw on. And there are generally only two people who know what really happened – the defendant and the alleged victim. In most Clay County Sex Crimes Cases, sexual battery involving two adults is a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The charge can vary based on other factors, including if the defendant is accused of using force or a weapon during the alleged crime. Clay County Sex Crimes Cases like this one are usually the types of cases that tend to end up in trial more frequently. The way Florida Sex Crimes laws are established, many defendants are reluctant to plead guilty to a sex crime because of the lasting implications. Though trials can be risky, many Clay County Sex Crime defendants end up taking that gamble.

If someone pleads guilty to a Clay County Sexual Battery charge, he or will be designated a sexual offender. That means restrictions will be placed on where the person can live, including how close he or she can live to a church or school – even if the case does not involve a child. Moreover, any time the person changes residences, neighbors are notified that a sex offender has moved in and the nature of the crime is listed. More than any other crime, including a murder, sex crimes are extremely difficult to recover from. And any plea deal or agreement will come with lifelong consequences. Our Clay County Sex Crimes Attorney has represented hundreds of defendants accused of sex crimes and can explain the provisions that come with being classified as a sex offender to let you or your loved one decide the best way to proceed with a case.

If you or a loved one needs a criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call The Mussallem Law Firm at (904) 365-5200 for a FREE CONSULTATION. Our Clay County Crimes Attorney, Victoria “Tori” Mussallem, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.