Staff report

MICANOPY, Fla. – Willie James Reese, 63, of Micanopy, was arrested yesterday and charged with sexual battery on a victim under 12 years old after allegedly touching a young girl who was sleeping over with a friend at his house.

The victim reportedly disclosed the incident on July 30 and said she had slept over with a girl who sometimes visited Reese’s house. She said that she and the other girls were watching a movie when Reese called for them, but the other girls appeared to be asleep, and Reese eventually called the victim and told her to come into his room and sit on his bed. She said he touched her inappropriately and it hurt; she said she asked him to stop, but he continued until he decided he was done. The victim said this only happened once, but Reese had previously touched the girls’ buttocks, over their clothes, “as a game.”

Reese has six convictions for infractions related to driving without a valid license between 1994 and 2008 but no other criminal history. Judge Kristine Van Vorst ordered him held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s Office to hold him without bail until trial.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.