Gainesville Police arrested a 19-year-old Lake City man Thursday for allegedly sexually battering a minor at The Oaks Mall.
Jeremy Dixon and the girl were reportedly friends at the time. On April 22, they went shopping at the mall on Newberry Road. While in Dillard’s, the girl said she wanted to try on some dresses and went to the changing room.
Dixon reportedly followed her inside. When she said she didn’t feel comfortable changing in front of him, Dixon replied that he would “see it anyway.” According to the report, the girl was confused by his statement but started to change into the dresses.
She told officers that she left her jeans on because she was so uncomfortable with Dixon in the room. At one point, Dixon allegedly stopped her from changing and began to kiss her. The victim said she tried to stop him, but he continued and started groping her breasts and kissing her neck. He stopped for a moment, and she began changing again.
Again, Dixon reportedly stopped her and began to kiss her, unbuttoning her pants to take them off. The victim tried to hold her pants up and told Dixon to stop, but he didn’t listen and pulled her pants down from her waist. The victim told law enforcement that she was scared and froze, not knowing what to do.
After he forcibly pulled her pants down, Dixon allegedly began to perform oral sex on the victim. Eventually, she was able to get him to stop by saying that her parents had arrived to pick her up. Dixon then left the changing room, according to the report.
The victim told officers that she dropped to the dressing room floor and cried until she could compose herself and leave. Dixon was reportedly standing at the door and said she wasn’t allowed to tell anyone because he would get in trouble.
A short time later, they were both picked up by the girl’s parents. According to the report, Dixon spoke to the victim afterward and again told her not to tell anyone. He allegedly stated that he was already under investigation in another county for a similar situation with another minor.
GPD arrested Dixon on Thursday afternoon, more than two months after the events happened. Dixon reportedly told officers that he was aware of the girl’s age.
He said that he did follow her into the dressing room and stayed there after she told him that she was uncomfortable. As she was changing, he did begin to kiss her and use his fingers to rub her vagina.
Dixon allegedly said that he then put his mouth and tongue on her vagina. According to the report, he said he knew he was wrong and left the changing room before telling the victim not to tell anyone because he would be in trouble.
The victim later told police that before the sexual battery, Dixon would lay in her lap while at her home and rub her thighs and vagina over her clothing.
According to Alachua County Jail records, Dixon is charged with sexual assault on a minor. His bond is set at $100,000.
Follow Jessica Curbelo on Twitter @jesscurbelo and contact her at jcurbelo@alligator.org.
