Gainesville man charged with 7 counts of sexual battery with a victim under the age of 12

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Paul Philip Foco, 74, was arrested yesterday and charged with seven counts of sexual battery against a victim under the age of 12 after the victim disclosed to a school official that Foco had previously abused her for about seven years.

The investigation by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office began after the victim disclosed to staff at her school that she had been sexually abused by Foco, and the case was subsequently reported to the Department of Children and Families and the Child Protection Team.

During an interview with the Child Protection Team, the victim reportedly stated that Foco had repeatedly “sexually assaulted” her for approximately seven years and provided numerous details; she said Foco told her not to tell anybody.

Post Miranda, Foco reportedly did not want to speak with law enforcement.

Foco has been charged with seven counts of sexual battery by a custodian with a victim under the age of 12; the arrest report states that each count represents a year of the victim’s life in which the incidents occurred. He has no local criminal history, and Judge George Wright 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.