Hawthorne Man Charged with Sexual Battery of Young Teen

HAWTHORNE ‒ Wesley Robert Fickett, 44, was arrested on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, for allegedly sexually abusing a young teenage girl over a six-month period in various locations, including a secluded area in Lochloosa known as “Long Bridge.”

The incidents reportedly took place over six months and in several locations, including an area in Lochloosa known as “Long Bridge,” a secluded bridge that crosses a creek. Wesley Robert Fickett allegedly gave the girl alcohol at least once before having sex with her. The victim told an investigator from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office that they had sexual intercourse approximately 10 times.

Deputies apprehended Fickett as he was driving away from his home. During a post-Miranda interview, Fickett denied having any sexual relations with the victim but admitted to taking her to “Long Bridge” on several occasions to drink alcohol. He claimed their interactions involved “talks about sex” to answer her “sexual questions” and noted that a few of those encounters were “hazy.” He denied any inappropriate activity and ultimately requested an attorney, ending the interview.

Fickett has been charged with three counts of lewd or lascivious battery and three counts of a person over 18 causing a person under 18 to come into contact with certain bodily fluids.

Fickett’s complete criminal history is unavailable, but he successfully completed a deferred prosecution agreement following a 2000 arrest for marijuana possession, and the charge was dropped. Two domestic battery cases from 2018 were later dropped. Also in 2018, he was charged in Putnam County with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and property damage and entered a plea of nolo contendere to a reduced charge of simple battery and property damage, with a sentence of 120 days in jail, followed by 12 months of probation.

Judge Adam Lee ordered Fickett held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold him without bail until trial.

#     #     #

Email cwalker@

alachuatoday.com