An inmate at the Lake County Jail was charged after allegedly striking an inmate who rejected his sexual advances.
Michael Anthony Hodge, 35, of Leesburg, was arrested in April after allegedly attacking his two teenage cousins during a confrontation. While being held at the Lake County Jail without bond, he allegedly exposed himself to a fellow inmate and tried to force his clothes off in June.
A deputy was again called to the jail at 10:30 p.m. Monday, July 20, this time regarding a battery between Hodge and another inmate, according to an arrest report from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Footage of the incident showed an inmate walked into Hodge’s cell. They exchanged words, and the inmate appeared to push Hodge’s hand away from his genital area. The inmate then left the cell and returned to his own, the report said.
Hodge followed him, and they both moved out of the camera’s view. At that point, the footage clearly showed shadows of strikes being thrown by a person in the cell, the report said.
The deputy spoke with the inmate, who advised that Hodge called him to come to his cell. When he walked inside, Hodge squeezed the inmate’s genitalia. The inmate left, only for Hodge to allegedly follow him back to his cell and hit him multiple times on the jaw with his pointer and middle fingers, the report said.
The report noted there were no visible marks on the inmate’s face. But his cellmate saw the incident and provided a statement documenting it.
When speaking with Hodge, he stated he did not know what the inmate was referring to and had no memory of any battery happening between the two of them, the report said.
Hodge was ultimately charged with battery on another detainee. He continues to be held at the Lake County Jail without bond.
He was previously arrested in March after allegedly grabbing a woman by the shirt when told he could not come inside her home.