Gainesville man arrested for sexual battery on 16-year-old girl

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Axel Emmanuel Van Oostrom, 24, was arrested yesterday and charged with sexual battery on a 16-year-old victim, lewd or lascivious touching of a victim aged 16, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor after allegedly getting a 16-year-old girl drunk and then trying to have sex with her.

The girl reportedly went to Van Oostrom’s apartment on June 13, and they both consumed alcoholic beverages; after the alcohol took effect, the girl reportedly became upset while telling Van Oostrom about an issue she was having. Van Oostrom reportedly hugged her and pulled her onto his lap, then took both of her hands and put them down her pants, using them to caress her buttocks.

The girl reportedly broke free and went upstairs to make a phone call; when Van Oostrom followed her, she hung up the phone. Van Oostrom reportedly said, “I thought this is what you wanted,” then the girl went back downstairs and lay on the floor because she was feeling intoxicated. Van Oostrom allegedly pulled her pants down and performed oral sex on her without her consent, then tried to penetrate her. Just then, someone arrived to pick up the girl, and she was able to pull up her pants and run out of the apartment.

Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies were able to view text messages between Van Oostrom and the girl in which Van Oostrom allegedly admitted the next day that he performed oral sex on the girl and tried to have sex with her.

Van Oostrom has no local criminal convictions. He was arrested in 2019 on a mix of felony and misdemeanor drug charges; the felony charges were dropped and the case was reclassified as a misdemeanor case, then the misdemeanor charges were also later dropped. He was charged with trespassing in 2020 and was fined, but adjudication of guilt was withheld on the misdemeanor charge.

Bail information is unavailable 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.