(Original Post 5-31-08)Jose Aponte, 55, from Bartow, Fl, a former Polk County sheriff's deputy, was convicted of the felony counts of sexual battery, extortion or threats, and violating a restraining order for the rape of his girlfriend last year. Sexual battery and extorion or threats are 2nd degree felonies in Florida under the circumstances, carries a maximum 15 year prison sentence. Collateral consequences include being on the SO registry and the DNA database for life.
A 41-year-old Poinciana woman told jurors that Aponte forced her to have sex, and then pointed his handgun at her and then himself. The woman said Aponte was intoxicated on the night he raped her and left bruises on her body.
Prosecutors also accused Aponte of later threatening to post a sex tape on the Internet to embarrass the woman. Her name is being withheld because she is a victim of a sex crime.
At trial, the defense argued that the woman was upset with Aponte because he planned to reconcile with his wife.
Aponte testified that he had consensual sex with the woman and left hickeys on her.
He denied putting a handgun to her head or pointing it at his head and threatening to commit suicide. Aponte said the woman was furious when she later discovered he wanted to go back to his wife. She threatened to kill herself with a kitchen knife, he said.
Ironically for a sexual predator, when Aponte was surrounded by fellow sheriff's deputies after the attack on his ex-girlfriend, he likened them to "birds of prey." He will be sentenced June 27.
A 41-year-old Poinciana woman told jurors that Aponte forced her to have sex, and then pointed his handgun at her and then himself. The woman said Aponte was intoxicated on the night he raped her and left bruises on her body.
Prosecutors also accused Aponte of later threatening to post a sex tape on the Internet to embarrass the woman. Her name is being withheld because she is a victim of a sex crime.
At trial, the defense argued that the woman was upset with Aponte because he planned to reconcile with his wife.
Aponte testified that he had consensual sex with the woman and left hickeys on her.
He denied putting a handgun to her head or pointing it at his head and threatening to commit suicide. Aponte said the woman was furious when she later discovered he wanted to go back to his wife. She threatened to kill herself with a kitchen knife, he said.
Ironically for a sexual predator, when Aponte was surrounded by fellow sheriff's deputies after the attack on his ex-girlfriend, he likened them to "birds of prey." He will be sentenced June 27.
(Update 6-29-08) On June 27, Aponte was sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by 10 years of probation. Presumably, it's sex offender probation. Collateral consequences, besides the DNA and SO databases include the prospect of ill treatment in prison.
A poster at the Florida Today site said, "Again, he's not a sex offender, he has that much going for him." Sex offenders come in many flavors, and not all of them prey on kids.
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