DELAND, Fla. – A 40-year-old DeLand man was sentenced today to 30 years in prison followed by a lifetime of sexual predator probation for repeatedly raping a 12-year-old led to his arrest in 2016 after the mother found out about the situation and called the cops.
The sentence was handed down by Circuit Judge Jamesd R. Clayton sat the Volusia County Courthouse in DeLand.
Jacob DeLeon, 40, of DeLand, was sentenced to 30 years in a state prison facility following no contest pleas to three counts of sexual battery on a child. After his release from prison, DeLeon will face a lifetime of sexual-predator probation and be designated a sexual predator.
"Today’s plea spared the child-victim from having to go through a traumatic trial process," Spencer Hathaway, spokesman for 7th Judicial Circuit State Attorney R.J. Larizza, told Headline Surfer after the sentencing hearing that put Jacob DeLeon behind bars perhaps for the rest of his life.
"DeLeon had been set for trial Monday, June 17, but pled today in lieu of going to trial." DeLeon repeatedly raped his victim, who was known to him, over a four-year period and was 12 years old when he was arrested June 9, 2016 by DeLand police.
"Today’s plea spared the child-victim from having to go through a traumatic trial process," Spencer Hathaway, spokesman for 7th Judicial Circuit State Attorney R.J. Larizza, told Headline Surfer after the sentencing hearing that put Jacob DeLeon behind bars perhaps for the rest of his life.
"DeLeon had been set for trial Monday, June 17, but pled today in lieu of going to trial." DeLeon repeatedly raped his victim, who was known to him, over a four-year period and was 12 years old when he was arrested June 9, 2016 by DeLand police.
DeLeon’s prior criminal history included an out of state conviction for abusing a child more than 10 years ago.
Assistant State Attorney Megan Upchurch prosecuted this most recent case against DeLeon.