Hawthorne man charged with sexual battery of young teen

Staff report

HAWTHORNE, Fla. – Wesley Robert Fickett, 44, of Hawthorne, was arrested yesterday for alleged sexual abuse of a young teenage girl.

The incidents reportedly took place over about six months and in several locations, including an area in Lochloosa known as “Long Bridge,” a secluded bridge that crosses a creek. Fickett allegedly gave the girl alcohol at least once before having sex with her; the victim told an investigator from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office that they had sexual intercourse approximately ten times.

A deputy reportedly arrested Fickett as he was driving away from his home. Post Miranda, he reportedly denied ever having sex with the victim but said they’d had “talks about sex” and clarified, “It was for any sexual questions she may have.” He reportedly admitted taking the victim to “Long Bridge” a few times, where they would drink alcohol. He said a few of those incidents were “hazy,” but he denied any sexual activity with the victim. He eventually ended the interview and requested an attorney.

Fickett has been charged with three counts of lewd or lascivious battery and three counts of a person over 18 causing a person under 18 to come into contact with certain bodily fluids.

Fickett’s complete criminal history is unavailable, but he successfully completed a deferred prosecution agreement following a 2000 arrest for marijuana possession, and the charge was dropped. Two domestic battery cases from 2018 were later dropped. Also in 2018, he was charged in Putnam County with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and property damage and entered a plea of nolo contendere to a reduced charge of simple battery and property damage, with a sentence of 120 days in jail, followed by 12 months of probation.

Judge Adam Lee ordered Fickett 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.