St Augustine man charged with sexual assault on child

Historic City News local reporters were informed that the man who was identified to deputies yesterday as the person who committed sexual battery on a minor child, remains in custody today in lieu of $25,000 bond.

Sheriff’s spokesman Kevin Kelshaw announced that 46-year-old Michael John Mitchell, who resides in St Augustine, was arrested and booked into the St Johns County Detention Facility at about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday afternoon.

During a recorded interview with investigators, the juvenile victim, who is older than 12-years-old, but not yet 18-years-old, reported that she was awakened by a man who she knew as Michael Mitchell.

She said that he attempted to remove her clothing. She also stated that Mitchell fondled her and took pictures of her while she was pretending to be asleep. After being touched, the victim stated that she tried to scare Mitchell away.

Mitchell reportedly retreated to his computer desk, but returned a couple of minutes later. The victim turned onto her stomach because she did not want him to continue touching her.

Per the witness statement, Mitchell resumed contact with the girl. This time, the girl says she believes he continued taking photographs of her, for a time, then returned to his computer desk.

The young girl described a third time when Mitchell came back to her and resumed fondling her. She says she rolled away to stop his advances, again.

The victim then wrote a letter to her mother describing what Mitchell did to her Tuesday night as she lay resting on the couch. The child’s mother immediately reported the incident to law enforcement.