December 6, 2016
Levy County Sheriff’s Office investigators arrested James
Thomas Crowe 2-13-63 on December 4, 2016 for sexual battery of a person under
12 years old. Deputies responded to a complaint filed by the mother of a five
year old child. The mother explained she entrusted her children in the care of
a family friend for an overnight stay on December 3, 2016. During the night
Crowe, the father of the babysitter, sexually abused the five year old child. The
child immediately disclosed this abuse to the mother the following morning when
she picked the child up.
The child was interviewed by both Levy County Sheriff’s
investigators and the University of Florida’s Child Protection Team’s child
forensic interviewer. The child gave consistent and specific information during
both interviews. Investigators also identified a witness to the abuse who
corroborated the victim’s statement.
LCSO investigators also interviewed Crowe. He denied ever
having any sexual contact with the child and offered the child had been coached
to make this statement. However, Crowe’s statements contained multiple inconsistencies.
Crowe was arrested and booked into the Levy County Detention
Facility. His bond has been set at two million dollars.
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