Police arrest man accused of kidnapping, sexually assaulting girl

Arrest made nearly 5 months after October attack, Jacksonville police say

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Police on Tuesday arrested a Jacksonville man accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a girl in October.

Eric Felton, 49, is charged with kidnapping of a child and sexual battery. 

According to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, the girl was walking near West 45th Street, just west of Moncrief Road, about 4 p.m. Oct. 9 when Felton drove up in a dark blue, four-door sedan and threw a cellphone out of the car window.

Police said he got out of the car, then forced the girl inside and drove her to an alleyway in the downtown area near the Florida State College at Jacksonville campus on West State Street. There, police said, he sexually assaulted her, according to the incident report.

Police said he later released the girl. 

Nearly five months later, court records show Felton was arrested and booked into the Duval County jail. 

Felton, who is a register sex offender, served prison time in New York state for a 2010 sexual assault, and was allowed to move to Florida after his release from prison to serve his probation. 

According to the arrest warrant, investigators matched DNA obtained from the Jacksonville victim to Felton, whose DNA is in the national database because he's a sex offender.

Jacksonville parents were relieved to learn of the arrest.

"I think it's great. I just know that there's many more out there, so we have to be careful with our kids," said a mother named Deshandra, who has a daughter of her own.

Felton is being held without bond.


About the Author:

Corley Peel is a Texas native and Texas Tech graduate who covered big stories in Joplin, Missouri, Tulsa, Oklahoma and Jacksonville, Florida before returning to the Lone Star State. When not reporting, Corley enjoys hot yoga, Tech Football, and finding the best tacos in town.