JACKSON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) — A Jackson County man is facing life in prison after being found guilty of impregnating a 14-year-old he "groomed" for sexual abuse.
Willie Franklin Oquin, 47, has been found guilty of sexual battery with in familial authority and lewd and lascivious battery.
In August 2017, investigators with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received information from the Department of Children and Families in regards to a 14-year-old female who was approximately 5 months pregnant.
During an interview with the child victim, she was unable to tell investigators who had impregnated her due to her mental incapacity. Through further investigation, deputies learned that Oquin may have been responsible for impregnating the victim. DNA samples were then collected from Oquin and submitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Crime Lab for analysis.
Sometime during the investigation, Oquin was sentenced to 18 months in the Department of Corrections on unrelated charges. After Oquin's sentencing, the victim, who deputies say finally felt safe, disclosed a detailed account of how Oquin sexually assaulted her while they were living in the same home, subsequently impregnating her.
Oquin denied the allegations, however, investigators say he did provide an explanation as to he could be the father of the child.
According to Oquin, he was on a medication that caused him to pass out. Oquin stated that while he was passed out, the victim’s mother obtained his semen via an eye dropper and then used the eye dropper to inseminate the victim.
During the investigation, investigators discovered that Oquin began "grooming" the victim at 14 to have sex with him under the guise that he was “teaching” her about having sex. When the victim refused Oquin’s requests, he would then punish her by taking her mattress away. Investigators say sexual assault on the victim continued until she got pregnant.
In November 2017, the victim gave birth to a healthy baby boy, and upon giving birth the victim and the child’s DNA was obtained and sent to FDLE to be compared to Oquin’s DNA.
In May 2018, investigators received a laboratory report from FDLE that confirmed Oquin was the father of the child. Based on the crime lab’s findings, Oquin was charged with sexual battery with in familial authority and lewd and lascivious battery.
On Tuesday, it only took a jury 30 minutes to reached a guilty verdict in the trial. Six jurors determined that Oquin was “guilty as charged” on both counts.
Oquin’s charges are a life felony. His sentencing is scheduled for July 19 at 10 a.m. at the Jackson County Agricultural Center located on Highway 90.
