Music minister accused of sexually assaulting girl under 16

Charges were upgraded to attempted sexual battery earlier this month

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 37-year-old man who serves as music minister at a Northwest Jacksonville Church was charged with lewd and lascivious conduct with an underage girl last fall, and is now charged with two counts of attempted sexual battery, according to a Jacksonville Sheriff's Office report.

According to the original arrest report, Raymond Davis was driving on a suspended license when he was stopped Nov. 8 on University Boulevard West and officers learned he was wanted on a September warrant. He was booked into jail on the lewd and lascivious charge.

According to the 2016 warrant, the victim, who was under 16, was staying with Davis, who did not have legal custody. The girl was not with a parent or guardian due to drug addiction and not having stable housing. She told a child protection investigator that Davis showed her pornography on his phone, and once pulled down his pants and tried to get on top of her before she ran out of the room. He later tried to force her to give him oral sex, according to the warrant.

Earlier this month Davis was rebooked on additional charges, including two counts of attempted sexual battery and an additional count of lewd and lascivious molestation. He is being held in the Duval County jail on $450,000 bond.

Davis' cousin, DaVena Davis, told News4Jax about the charges so people at the church would be aware.

"Being around church, the kids at the church, as a musician, director of a choir -- that means you have direct contact around children, and that is disgusting," DaVena Davis said.

Raymond Davis’ father, who is bishop of the church where his son has worked for three years, said the accusations against his son are false and he will support his son in court.

"I don’t believe that," the father said Monday. "Who has proved this?"

Raymond Davis' final pretrial hearing is scheduled for April 10.

 

 


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