By Staff Correspondent
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Authorities have taken 62-year-old Michael Norbett Taylor into custody following allegations of sexual battery against a girl younger than 12.
The victim came forward during a separate investigation, revealing to officials from law enforcement and the Department of Children and Families that Taylor had inappropriately touched her on multiple occasions when she was younger than 12. She had confided in another girl about these troubling experiences at the time they occurred.
In a detailed forensic interview, the victim recounted three distinct occurrences. In the initial encounter, Taylor is accused of inappropriately touching her over her clothing. The second instance involved an alleged attempted rape that did not succeed. During a third incident, it is claimed that Taylor made sexual contact with her while she was asleep.
The victim also mentioned that Taylor offered her $20 to keep these incidents a secret.
A witness reported that the victim had previously shared details about the second incident with her, but she had doubted the story at the time. However, she recalled seeing Taylor in close proximity to the victim around the period of the third incident and later learned from the victim that someone had touched her while she was sleeping.
Post Miranda, Taylor reportedly said he knew the victim was under 12 at the time of the alleged incidents and said he gave her money, but he did this with other children, too. He denied touching her inappropriately and said she was lying because she didn’t get what she wanted, but he was reportedly unable to say what she wanted or why she would lie.
Taylor has been charged with sexual battery of a victim under 12 and lewd or lascivious molestation. He has one state felony conviction (non-violent) and one state misdemeanor conviction (non-violent), along with 15 criminal traffic convictions. In 1999, he pled to a federal charge of conspiracy to distribute narcotics and was sentenced to 78 months in prison, followed by 48 months of probation. His bail, if any, will be set tomorrow.
Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law
