Sex offender pleads not guilty to raping Jacksonville Beach woman

Police say man entered beachfront condo balcony through open sliding door

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – A 58-year-old registered sex offender from South Carolina charged with raping a Jacksonville Beach woman in her oceanfront condominium late last year pleaded not guilty Tuesday.

Freddie Ellis Jr. is charged with sexual assault, home invasion, armed burglary and failure to register as a sex offender. He entered not guilty pleas for all four charges.

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His bond is set at $1.2 million. He is expected back in court Jan. 30.

Police said Ellis entered the 63-year-old victim's home through an open sliding glass door on the second-floor balcony of the South First Street condominium about 3 a.m. Dec. 13.

According to Jacksonville Beach police, a warrant was obtained after evidence at the scene matched that of Ellis. He was arrested by a Jacksonville Beach officer patrolling Gonzales Park who recognized Ellis as the man wanted in the case.

According to the arrest report, Ellis used a ladder to get onto the balcony. When he left, he took the victim's cellphone, an iPad and a jade necklace.

Ellis was convicted of sexual assault in 1988 and failure to register as a sex offender in 2009 -- both in South Carolina.