Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Antwain Demond Akins, 34, was arrested yesterday and charged with two counts of sexual battery on victims under 12 years of age.

The victims, who no longer live in Alachua County, recently told an adult that Akins sexually battered them when they were 7 and 11 years old, respectively.

The older child came forward first and said there were at least two incidents and the delay in reporting was because the child was “scared of what [Akins] would do.”

After the older child disclosed the incidents, the younger child also spoke up and described three incidents that happened when the child was 7 years old. The child said Akins said not to tell anyone.

Post Miranda, Akins denied all of the allegations.

Akins was previously arrested in July 2024 and charged with child abuse without great bodily harm; the arrest report alleges that he punched a teenager in the face, then hit him with a metal picture frame and swung a barstool at him during an argument over a piece of cake. The charges were dropped a few months later.

Akins has no local criminal history but was sentenced to almost 10 years of probation in 2020 for selling marijuana and sentenced to almost three years of probation in 2023 for arson; both incidents’ jurisdiction is listed as “interstate.”

Judge Denise Ferrero ordered Akins 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.