Former Florida corrections officer gets six life sentences for sexually abusing, choking children

CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. — A judge on Thursday sentenced a former Florida corrections officer to serve six consecutive life sentences after a jury convicted him of child sex abuse and battery charges.

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Officials with the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office arrested James Touchton, 40, on March 11, 2019, after two young girls reported that he had begun abusing them in August 2018, according to deputies and the Citrus County Chronicle. At the time, he was working as a corrections officer at Lowell Correctional Institute in Marion County, the Chronicle reported.

Deputies said the victims, who were both under 12 years old, detailed multiple incidents of abuse, WTVT reported.

Jurors found Touchton guilty of six counts of capital sexual battery on a child under 12 and two counts of domestic battery by strangulation. Judge Richard “Ric” Howard subsequently sentenced him to serve six consecutive life sentences for the sexual battery charges and two consecutive five-year sentences for domestic battery.

In 2019, Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast told WTSP that Touchton “used his authority over these two juveniles to manipulate them into unspeakable acts.”

“A possible lifetime in prison sentence for James Touchton is nothing in comparison to the physical and emotional harm he has inflicted on his victims,” he said at the time, according to WTSP.

On Friday, Prendergast said “justice has been served.” He praised special victims’ unit detectives and officials with the child protection team at the child advocacy center Jessie’s Place for their contributions to the case.

“Touchton will spend the rest of his life in prison and will never be able to abuse another child,” Prendergast said. “While this can never undo the harm done to his (victims), I hope they will find solace in knowing Touchton will spend the rest of his life in prison.”

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