If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, confidential help is available 24/7 through the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673).
A 17-year-old St. Johns County teen has been charged with felony sexual battery following an alleged assault that occurred on the night of April 25, shortly after a local high school prom.
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office launched an investigation after a report was filed by the alleged victim and her family.
According to a sworn affidavit, the teenager and the alleged victim attended the same gala at a local hotel.
The two arrived together, but the victim later left the dance with friends and went to a nearby restaurant.
Her departure appears to have led to a disagreement between the two, with the teen reportedly contacting the victim’s mother, who encouraged her daughter to reconnect with him.
Later that night, around 11 p.m., the teen picked up the victim and drove her toward her father’s residence. According to investigators, instead of stopping directly at the home, the teen moved his vehicle to a dimly lit area within the neighborhood. There, the victim says an encounter took place that she did not consent to and actively resisted.
The victim later provided a detailed statement to detectives. She also took actions she believed would help preserve evidence, including placing personal items inside the vehicle.
The Sheriff’s Office later recovered those items during a forensic search of the car.
The following day, according to the report, the teen contacted the alleged victim via social media to apologize for his actions. The messages, some of which had been deleted but were recovered through a digital forensics investigation, included expressions of regret and concern for how he had behaved.
The investigation also found that the teen’s parent had reached out to the victim. In a recorded call set up by detectives, the parent acknowledged having been told about the incident by her child.
During that call, the parent apologized and appeared to offer suggestions about how to avoid further school-based contact between the two teens. Toward the end of the conversation, the teen himself could be heard in the background accepting responsibility, and he later spoke directly on the call, repeating an apology.
Later that same day, deputies conducted a traffic stop on the teen’s vehicle for speeding.
During the stop, the teen cooperated with deputies, identified himself, and agreed to speak with detectives without a parent or attorney present. He was read his legal rights and gave a voluntary statement.
According to the report, the teen admitted to certain physical acts involving the alleged victim. He acknowledged that she had told him to stop, and that she had clearly communicated discomfort and lack of consent.
He said he regretted his actions, had not been thinking clearly, and felt remorseful for what had occurred. He also confirmed having sent the apology messages the following day.
Following that interview, a judge approved a search warrant for the teen’s vehicle and mobile phone. During the search of the SUV, sheriff’s office personnel recovered several items described by the victim, along with other materials considered relevant to the case.
Digital forensics investigators were able to retrieve portions of deleted messages, including apologies and conversations involving both the victim and others close to her.
In addition to digital and physical evidence, investigators interviewed a close friend of the victim, who said she received a call from the victim shortly after the incident. The friend reported that the victim appeared shaken and shared consistent details about the events that had taken place.
The teen also contacted this friend, apologizing and expressing remorse. The witness interview provided further corroboration for the timeline and circumstances described by the victim.
Detectives also obtained surveillance footage from multiple locations that supported key parts of the narrative. One video showed the teen picking up the alleged victim from a local restaurant that night. Another placed his vehicle in the area where the incident reportedly occurred around the relevant time.
Based on the collective evidence — including physical items recovered from the vehicle, the recorded admissions, messages exchanged between parties, surveillance footage, and corroborating witness statements — investigators concluded there was probable cause to file a felony charge of sexual battery under Florida law.
Due to the ages of the individuals involved and the nature of the charge, The Citizen is not identifying the suspect or certain other details related to the case.
The teen pleaded not guilty in the case and was released on $250,000 bond.
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone who believes they are the victim of sexual assault to contact them at (904) 824-8304.
