Sanford man accused of kidnapping, raping teen was on probation for similar crime

SANFORD, Fla. — A man was arrested Tuesday morning in connection with the February kidnapping and sexual battery of a teenage girl outside a Walmart store in Sanford, the Sanford Police Department said.

A 15-year-old girl was walking past a vehicle in the store's parking lot on Feb. 8 when Samuel Lee Hardy Jr. tried to speak to her, then ordered her into his vehicle at knifepoint, police spokeswoman Bianca Gillett said.

"Hardy then drove the victim to an area near Washington Oaks, where he forced the victim to engage in sexual intercourse with him," Gillett said. "He then drove the victim back to the Walmart and told her not to tell anyone about the incident."

Investigators said results from a sexual battery kit returned a positive identification for Hardy.

Police said the Department of Corrections had released Hardy Feb. 17 on a sexual offender status.

Hardy was previously sentenced to six years in prison for having sex with minors, Gillett said.

He was supposed to stay in touch with his probation officer through the Florida Department of Corrections and was supposed to be on sex offender probation until 2025.

A spokesperson confirmed Hardy checked in with his probation officer last week, but that official refused to say how often Hardy check in, or whether that was an in-person checkup.

Police said Hardy told detectives that he didn't remember having sex with the victim and later said it was consensual.

Hardy is charged with forced sexual battery with a weapon on a victim 12 years or older, kidnapping and two counts of violation of probation.

During his court appearance Wednesday, Hardy put his head down as the judge read his charges.

Anyone with information on the incident or who might have had a similar encounter is asked to contact Sanford police or Crimeline at 407-423-8477.

Cox Media Group