Teen gets 25 years for beating, rape of 91-year-old
A 15-year-old Florida boy has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for the beating and rape of a 91-year-old woman.
MARION COUNTY, Fla. – A 15-year-old Florida boy has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for the beating and rape of a 91-year-old woman.
Jesse Stone, 14 years old at the time of the incident, also will receive 30 years of sex offender probation, must register as a sex offender and enroll in anger management classes.
Jesse has 30 days to appeal the ruling.
Jesse Stone, 15, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after he beat and raped a 91-year-old woman.
Why was Jesse Stone arrested?
The backstory:
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office said a 91-year-old woman was woken up around midnight on June 9 to find an intruder in her home in Reddick.
The intruder violently beat and sexually assaulted the woman, according to investigators.
Residents in the area were asked to assist deputies in finding the suspect.
$5k reward for information in rape of 91-year-old
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office is offering a $5,000 reward for information about a case where a 91-year-old woman was sexually battered.
In November, sheriffs announced they had arrested Jesse for the alleged crime.
Investigators said they were able to track him down through DNA evidence.
Teen accused of sexual battery of woman, 91
Authorities in Marion County have made an arrest in a home intrusion and rape investigation in which a 91-year-old Reddick woman was awakened from her sleep and assaulted, detectives said.
The 91-year-old woman said Jesse had stopped by to chat the day before the attack, as he often had in the past, according to deputies.
During an interview with detectives, the sheriff’s office said Jesse admitted to unlawfully entering the victim’s home.
Jesse was sentenced on Dec. 19 and was charged as an adult.
Jesse Stone sentencing
What they’re saying:
Jesse was sentenced by circuit judge Lisa Herndon on Friday, Feb. 7.
The teen’s attorney pleaded on his behalf, saying Jesse had a difficult childhood and suffers from depression and ADHD. The attorney said Jesse was raised by his paternal grandmother, because he had no father figure, and he was addicted to pornography.
“Mr. Stone had no criminal history,” the attorney said. “His brain was nowhere near fully developed … and is still probably 10 years off from that being the case.”
The attorney said Jesse would benefit from special psychological and sex offender treatment. The attorney argued the department of corrections is not accustomed to helping him and recommended he be in juvenile justice.
Jesse’s attorney asked the court to have mercy in their sentencing on the teen’s first arrest.
“There has to be some punishment … but some element of rehabilitation that he’s not going to get in the state prison system as a 14-year-old sex offender,” the attorney said.
Jesse Stone was only 14 years old at the time of the crime. (Credit: Marion County Sheriff’s Office)
Herndon declined that juvenile or youthful offender sanctions are appropriate.
“His actions are egregious, and the victim in this case is lucky to be alive,” she said. “I am going to sentence him to prison followed by a lengthy term of sex offender probation. Mr. Stone, this is unfortunate for you, the victim and for both of your families.”
Jesse was charged with burglary of a dwelling with battery, as well as sexual battery.
Jesse appeared not to have a visible reaction at the sentencing.
He looked ahead, appeared to listen to the judge as sentences were imposed and nodded occasionally.
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The Source: This story was written based on previous reporting, official court documents and information shared by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
