A 77-year-old Ocala man is behind bars after allegedly sexually assaulting a woman while she slept in his home.
On Tuesday, June 23, an adult female victim advised that a man, identified as George William Loveless, Jr., had sexually battered her. She added that Loveless “admitted to doing so through text message,” according to the arrest report.
The victim stated that she was “homeless in the area,” and she was receiving assistance from Loveless’ daughter. On Sunday, June 14, the victim was reportedly brought to Loveless’ residence in Ocala, where she was provided a glass of water that “had a strange taste and immediately made her feel sleepy.”
According to the victim’s statement, she fell asleep for a couple of hours. When she awoke, she noticed that a pillow she was laying on had been moved to the floor.
After the victim left the residence, she reportedly began receiving text messages from Loveless in which he explicitly admitted to taking advantage of her while she was sleeping. Law enforcement later conducted a controlled phone call between the victim and Loveless, during which he allegedly confessed to the sexual assault, according to the report.
On Wednesday, June 24, MCSO investigators located Loveless at his home. After being advised of his Miranda rights, Loveless allegedly admitted that he had “taken advantage of the victim,” and he was subsequently placed under arrest and booked into Marion County Jail.
The report noted that the arrest caught Loveless by surprise, and he reportedly told law enforcement that he thought he “should only be talked to” about the incident.
A criminal history search of Loveless revealed that he previously served time in prison following a 1984 arrest in Orange County for a similar offense, according to the report.
Loveless remains in custody at Marion County Jail without bond, and he is facing a felony sexual battery charge.
A court date for Loveless has not yet been scheduled, according to jail records.