Gainesville man arrested on 12 sexual battery charges involving two juvenile victims

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Tony Bernard Perryman Jr., 37, was arrested yesterday after two juveniles reported that he had sexually abused them on multiple occasions over multiple years.

One of the teenage victims reportedly disclosed on July 28 that she had engaged in sexual intercourse with Perryman, and then the second victim reportedly said Perryman had also sexually abused her.

The incidents reportedly spanned about five years, but both victims said the abuse had occurred as recently as July 27. The victims both reportedly said that they were sometimes together in the same room while Perryman sexually battered one or both of them.

The older victim reportedly said Perryman refers to her as his girlfriend and gets upset when she speaks with boys.

The older victim reportedly described the boxers Perryman was wearing on July 27, and post Miranda, Perryman reportedly told an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy that he had masturbated on July 27 in his bedroom, with the door closed, and had ejaculated into his boxers; his description of the boxers matched the victim’s description.

Perryman was arrested on July 28 at his workplace. Post Miranda, he denied all allegations of sexual activity with the victims but reportedly made a side comment that matched a specific detail from the victims’ story.

Perryman has been charged with 12 counts of sexual battery by a custodial authority against a victim between 12 and 18 years of age, with seven counts involving the older victim and five counts involving the younger victim. He has two misdemeanor convictions (two violent) and six traffic convictions. Judge Meshon Rawls ordered him held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s Office to hold him without bail until trial; if the judge denies the motion, bail will be set at that hearing.

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.