Local man charged in sexual battery case

Miss-Delectable · 10-18-2009, 03:17 AM

staugustine.com: Local man charged in sexual battery case 10/17/09

A mentally handicapped St. Augustine man was charged this week in a years-old capital sexual battery case after his name came up in a federal child pornography investigation, police said Friday.

In 1997, the suspect, Justin Eugene Sage, now 33, had been questioned about the case and allegedly admitted to sexually assaulting a 5-year-old boy.

But the prosecutor decided not to pursue charges if Sage was "institutionalized," citing his mental handicap and "history of sexual problems" in addition to his hearing disability and attention deficit disorder, according to police reports.

The case was reopened earlier this month after FBI agents discovered the allegations while investigating Sage for child pornography, said Jeff Westcott, a special agent and spokesman for the bureau's Jacksonville office.

As of Friday, Sage had not been charged with a crime involving child pornography.

According to a St. Johns County Sheriff's Office report, Sage was interviewed by FBI agents on Oct. 1, when he again admitted to an assault that allegedly took place the afternoon of July 22, 1997, when he was 20 and the boy was 5.

He also admitted to "other deviant acts," such as possession of child pornography, prompting detectives to bring the charge more than 12 years later because a condition of the original decision not to prosecute in 1997 was that Sage would stop acting out sexually, Sheriff's Office spokesman Sgt. Chuck Mulligan said.

Sage, a Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind graduate, was charged with one count of capital sexual battery, carrying a mandated punishment of life in prison.

He was booked without bond at the county jail Thursday.

Westcott said the suspect could face other charges as the FBI is still investigating.

"Our case is actually still open," he said. "He hasn't been charged federally."

In 1997, when Sage admitted to the assault, the prosecutor and detective working the case agreed the best route was counseling, Mulligan said.

"They felt at the time, (12) years ago, that getting him into facility who could treat and work with him was the best practice," he said. "Notwithstanding that occurring, they would prosecute him."

Assistant State Attorney Chris Kelly said Friday that it was not clear whether Sage had received treatment.

But, according to a Sheriff's Office report from 1997, the prosecutor told Sage's parents they had a few months to find a facility for him.

"If all else fails," the report stated, "we may have to arrest him."

rockin'robin · 10-18-2009, 12:15 PM

This was all over the news....unbelievable that he was still a free man after all the charges, after all this time.....(since 1997)

.

10-18-2009, 03:17 AM	#1 (permalink)
Miss-Delectable Capt Tony Nelson, Jeannie Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: No.1 Shopping Capital in Australia Posts: 10,238 Blog Entries: 3	Local man charged in sexual battery case staugustine.com: Local man charged in sexual battery case 10/17/09 A mentally handicapped St. Augustine man was charged this week in a years-old capital sexual battery case after his name came up in a federal child pornography investigation, police said Friday. In 1997, the suspect, Justin Eugene Sage, now 33, had been questioned about the case and allegedly admitted to sexually assaulting a 5-year-old boy. But the prosecutor decided not to pursue charges if Sage was "institutionalized," citing his mental handicap and "history of sexual problems" in addition to his hearing disability and attention deficit disorder, according to police reports. The case was reopened earlier this month after FBI agents discovered the allegations while investigating Sage for child pornography, said Jeff Westcott, a special agent and spokesman for the bureau's Jacksonville office. As of Friday, Sage had not been charged with a crime involving child pornography. According to a St. Johns County Sheriff's Office report, Sage was interviewed by FBI agents on Oct. 1, when he again admitted to an assault that allegedly took place the afternoon of July 22, 1997, when he was 20 and the boy was 5. He also admitted to "other deviant acts," such as possession of child pornography, prompting detectives to bring the charge more than 12 years later because a condition of the original decision not to prosecute in 1997 was that Sage would stop acting out sexually, Sheriff's Office spokesman Sgt. Chuck Mulligan said. Sage, a Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind graduate, was charged with one count of capital sexual battery, carrying a mandated punishment of life in prison. He was booked without bond at the county jail Thursday. Westcott said the suspect could face other charges as the FBI is still investigating. "Our case is actually still open," he said. "He hasn't been charged federally." In 1997, when Sage admitted to the assault, the prosecutor and detective working the case agreed the best route was counseling, Mulligan said. "They felt at the time, (12) years ago, that getting him into facility who could treat and work with him was the best practice," he said. "Notwithstanding that occurring, they would prosecute him." Assistant State Attorney Chris Kelly said Friday that it was not clear whether Sage had received treatment. But, according to a Sheriff's Office report from 1997, the prosecutor told Sage's parents they had a few months to find a facility for him. "If all else fails," the report stated, "we may have to arrest him." __________________

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10-18-2009, 12:15 PM	#2 (permalink)
rockin'robin Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Jacksonville, Florida Posts: 2,774	This was all over the news....unbelievable that he was still a free man after all the charges, after all this time.....(since 1997) .