Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Dakari Sterling, 37, was arrested yesterday and charged with sexual battery on a victim under 12, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and resisting arrest without violence.

While getting the victim ready for school on August 12, a family member became concerned about the victim and asked whether someone had touched her; after repeatedly denying that anything had happened, the victim reportedly said Sterling had sexually battered her. The family member took the victim to the UF Health Shands Pediatric Emergency Room.

During a forensic interview, the victim reportedly said that Sterling had stayed with her while her family member was at work, and one evening, he pulled her into a bedroom, closed and locked the door while she screamed and tried to fight back, and sexually battered her. When he was finished, she tried to run out of the room, but he picked up a knife, pointed it at her, and said he would kill her and her family if she told anyone what had happened.

When officers located Sterling, he reportedly refused to go with them and had to be subdued before he could be placed in a patrol vehicle.

An officer reported that a post-Miranda interview was attempted, but no information could be gathered due to “an insurmountable communication barrier.” Previous court documents indicate that Sterling communicates via sign language.

Sterling was previously arrested in 2006 and charged with simple battery; he successfully completed a Mental Health Court program, and the charge was not prosecuted.

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.