A Lake County landscaper was arrested on a warrant charing him with molesting a young girl under the age of 12 in Marion County.
Richard Zachary, 34, of Grand Island, was taken into custody by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office when the female juvenile and her mother reported the incident from a few years ago along with repeated cases of inappropriate physical contact.
On Nov. 13, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office was made aware of a case from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
The witness went to the Tavares Police Department to report that her daughter told her and a family friend that Zachary forced her to engage in sexual activity in 2019 while they lived in Marion County, the report said.
The juvenile told a deputy that the first incident happened when she was at home alone with Zachary and his friend. Zachary went outside of his residence and stayed with the friend until that friend left to return to their home. Zachary then came back to the residence, and he and the juvenile started watching a movie in the bedroom, the report said.
Zachary proceeded to undress himself, sit on the edge of the bed and asked the juvenile to come over and touch his penis. She declined multiple times and stated she did not want to, but Zachary told her he did not care what she wanted, the report said.
The juvenile did not want to get in trouble, so she walked over to Zachary and placed her hand on his penis. She then made a stroking motion. The juvenile could not advise how long this event took but recalled that it happened, the report said.
The juvenile also advised that she sleeps with Zachary in the same bed on the side right up against the wall. When he comes to bed, he moves her to the other side where he sleeps and places her leg in between his so that she can feel his male genitalia on her leg through his boxers. He does not allow her to move from that position, the report said.
A forensic interview of the juvenile was conducted at the request of an investigator, during which the juvenile stated she would tell the truth and did so in more detail. She disclosed that she was living at her old house when Zachary made her touch his private part, the report said.
The juvenile victim stated that her mom was with her friend getting her nails done and her sister was sleeping when the incident happened. After she got out of the shower and got dressed, she went to Zachary’s bedroom and asked to put a movie on in his room. He said yes before going to make popcorn, the report said.
When Zachary came back with the popcorn, he set it on the bed and started getting undressed. He took off his shirt, shorts and boxers before getting into bed. Zachary got under the covers and told the juvenile to come over to him, at which time she told him no. He stated he did not care what she wanted and to come over to him, the report said.
Zachary made the juvenile touch his private part when she got into the bed. He threatened to spank her if she did not do what he said, so she did what he told her to do, the report said.
The juvenile then explained to the forensic interviewer what Zachary made her do to his private part. She was not sure how long she did it, but she stopped because she knew it was not right. Zachary did not tell her anything when it happened, and when she stopped, he just got up and got dressed, the report said.
The juvenile further stated it only happened one time, and Zachary did not touch her during the incident. However, he sometimes grabs her butt, and she sleeps over at his residence every weekend. He puts her leg between his legs when she is over, the report said.
Upon conducting a records search, a deputy found a closed Eustis Police Department case. It also contained a disclosure of a forced sex act upon another prepubescent person by Zachary. There were numerous similarities in circumstances, mode of operation and ritual, including both being prepubescent females, Zachary undressing himself in front of them, coercion and the fear of what Zachary would do to them further, the report said.
Around 8:16 a.m. Dec. 15, a deputy spoke with Zachary over the phone and asked if he was available to talk. He stated the deputy could come speak with him at his place of work, “Quality Trees & Shrubs,” in Umatilla. The deputy explained he routinely spoke with people at his office and asked if Zachary would be willing to come by after work, the report said.
At 9:47 a.m., Zachary had not arrived. The deputy called his phone again but was immediately forwarded to voicemail. He tried to call the business and left a voicemail requesting a call back, but he did not get one, the report said.
Zachary was brought in on a Marion County warrant a few days later. He was charged with lewd lascivious behavior (molest victim less than 12 years of age offender 18 years of age or older). He was taken to the Marion County Jail and held without bond.
