Earleton man arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting two women

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

Charges were dropped in this case on January 26, 2023.

ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Garrett Glen Denson, 28, was arrested yesterday evening after two women reported that he had sexually assaulted them at his home.

The two women, who will be referred to as the first victim and the second victim, made contact with Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies while being examined at a Gainesville emergency room yesterday. The second victim said she knew Denson through mutual friends and had met him at a Gainesville bar Thursday night, and then she and the first victim had decided on Friday to go to his house in Earleton, where they would have access to four-wheelers, jet skis, and a boat.

After arriving at Denson’s house, the two women reportedly that they drank various alcoholic beverages and became “heavily intoxicated.” The women said two others were present, a 15-year-old boy and a 52-year-old man; both are listed as co-defendants in the incident.

During the evening, the second victim made dinner for everyone, then Denson reportedly brought out a pair of handcuffs and handcuffed the first victim to a person or object that was redacted from the report. Denson then reportedly brought out a second pair of handcuffs, and the second victim grabbed them and ran into Denson’s bedroom; the first victim described this as a “short game of tag.”

In Denson’s bedroom, Denson allegedly handcuffed the second victim’s hands in front of her and pushed her onto the bed, turning her face down and removing her shorts and underwear. He then sexually assaulted her while all of the others were in the room, with the first victim still handcuffed, and continuing after the second victim told him to stop. Denson then released the second victim from the handcuffs, and she walked out of the house to call a friend in St. Augustine for help because she was too intoxicated to drive.

Meanwhile, the first victim had blacked out, and she said she remembered Denson being on top of her at one point during the night. He pulled her bikini bottom to the side, and she said something penetrated her. The next thing she remembered was leaving the house with the second victim.

The second victim re-entered the house after calling her friend and reportedly saw the 15-year-old, fully clothed, on top of the first victim, who was nude from the waist down. She spoke to them, and he got up. She went back outside to call her friend and found out the friend was still 50 minutes away, so she decided to drive away from the house to protect herself and her friend.

When she re-entered the house again, she said she found the first victim in Denson’s bedroom, with Denson on top of her; she believed they were having sex. She told the first victim that a grandmother’s friend had died, and they had to leave. The two collected their belongings and drove to a nearby gas station to wait for the friend because neither was sober enough to drive home.

Denson was later arrested at his house. Post Miranda, he reportedly said that the second victim had followed him to his house from the bar Thursday night and that they’d had consensual sex Thursday night, then she stayed the night. He said they drove to pick up the first victim on Friday and then went back to his house, where they cooked dinner and drank beer. Denson reportedly said he showed the women his handcuffs, and both victims “played with them.” He said he then had consensual sex with the first victim; he reportedly denied using any restraints on either woman while having sex with them and would not provide any information on the identity of the 15-year-old. Denson also reportedly said nobody else was there besides himself, the two women, and the 15-year-old. When the detective asked more specific questions about what happened, Denson reportedly invoked his right to remain silent.

Detectives then contacted the 52-year-old man by phone, and he reportedly said he had been at Denson’s house Friday night, but when he heard that there were allegations of sexual battery, he said he would not talk with detectives further until he spoke with an attorney.

Denson has been charged with two counts of sexual assault without physical force. He previously successfully completed a deferred prosecution agreement after being charged in 2018 with reckless driving, fleeing, and trespassing. A 2020 domestic battery charged was dropped for insufficient evidence. He has been released from the jail (bail information for released detainees is not available on weekends).

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.