A former UF resident assistant was found guilty of attempted sexual battery, kidnapping and burglary Wednesday after about two years of a postponed trial. He’ll be sentenced Dec. 13.
Ian Milaski, a 23-year-old Cape Coral resident, appeared in court Oct. 26 and Oct. 27 to address attempted rape allegations made against him in August 2019. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Ian Milaski
Ron Kozlowski, Milaski’s lawyer in 2019, wrote his client needed to clear his name to attend law school. He added, “No law school will ever accept a fugitive.”
His lawyer told Judge Mark Moseley that Milaski was a “high-achieving” student who could not afford to pay the $125,000 bond. Moseley released Milaski without having to pay a bond.
Moseley was removed from the case after it received national attention. This followed his decision to release Milaski from jail with no bond. Moseley was then replaced by Judge William Davis.
On Oct. 20, Davis granted Milaski’s lawyer’s request to limit what the jury could hear about law enforcement opinions on the case and the victim’s mental health following the battery, court records read. This included her medical absence from college and police officers' opinion on the victim’s credibility.
The lawyer argued that if presented, the evidence would bring sympathy and prejudice against Milaski.
Regardless of redacted evidence, the jury found Milaski guilty of all charges Oct. 27, court records read. Milaski was then sent back to the Alachua County Jail to await sentencing Dec. 13.
During court proceedings, Milaski’s attorney said the incident was a “misunderstanding among platonic friends fueled by alcohol.”
Before the sexual battery, Milaski was enrolled at UF as a 21-year-old economics senior.
On Aug. 25, 2019, a female student told police a drunk Milaski called her before 2 a.m. asking for help, a University Police Department arrest report read. Milaski attempted to “make out” with her after she arrived at his room with water in Weaver Hall, and he later attempted to touch her genital area and reportedly grabbed her. After she left his room, he went to her room and repeatedly asked her to sleep with him.
He was arrested Aug. 28, 2019, on charges of battery and false imprisonment.
The case was rescheduled four times from January 2020 to August 2021.
On Oct. 26, a photo of a text message from Milaski was released to the court. It read, “I apologize for last night…”
At the time, the victim took to Facebook to detail what happened.
“I will continue to fight this and I will continue to fight him until the very end!” she wrote, according to News-Press. “I have a long way to go but I’m determined to make sure that the responsible individual is held accountable for his actions."
Contact Isabella at idouglas@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter @Ad_Scribendum.
Isabella Douglas is a fourth-year journalism major and the Fall 2023 editor-in-chief for The Alligator. She has previously worked as the digital managing editor, metro editor, criminal justice reporter and as a news assistant. When she isn't reporting, she can be found reorganizing her bookshelf and adding books to her ever-growing TBR.
