Staff report from Alachua County Sheriff’s Office social media post

HAWTHORNE, Fla. – Late in the evening on April 14, deputies from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office went to SE 215th Terrace in Hawthorne to check on the mental well-being of 36-year-old Ashley Creel. Upon arrival, they discovered that earlier that day, Creel had seen her husband, 39-year-old Jonathan Eugene Williams, involved in a sexual encounter with a juvenile victim.

The juvenile victim was interviewed and disclosed that they were sexually abused by Williams multiple times over the last several months.

Deputies found Williams on the same day and took him into custody on a separate civil matter. After Detective M. Adkins interviewed him about the incident, Williams faced charges for two counts of sexual battery by a custodian and one count of lewd or lascivious molestation. Authorities also confiscated his cell phone.

The investigation of the cell phone uncovered messages between Williams and Creel discussing the sexual assault, with Creel expressing her anger over the situation. Creel did not report the abuse to the authorities until roughly 21 hours after it happened. The police learned of the incident through the well-being check on Creel and her answers to the deputy’s questions.

On May 19, Det. Adkins learned that Williams and Creel had attended the juvenile victim’s sporting event on April 14, after Creel witnessed the incident. Creel left the event early, leaving the victim alone and in the care of Williams, aware that he had previously sexually assaulted the juvenile.

Creel was arrested on May 20 and charged with child neglect without great bodily harm and failure to report suspected child abuse.

Creel is being held on $400,000 bail. Williams is being held without bail.