[PHOTO CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 10/16/19]
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MOUNT DORA, Florida – Lake County Sheriff’s Office apprehended a sexual predator in a residential neighborhood who fled during a consensual conversation with a detective Wednesday. An LCSO detective went to Taco Bell in Mount Dora to speak with Pernell “Tank” Johnson, 41, of Eustis about his failure to comply with updating address information and a new cell phone number, said LCSO Sgt. Fred Jones.
He willingly spoke with the detective at first and tried to explain himself, Jones said. Sometime during the conversation, Johnson fled and ran across US Highway 441, almost getting hit in the process. Deputies utilized Eagle One (LSCO’s helicopter) and received assistance from Eustis Police Department.
Johnson was just released from prison in May of this year following a 12-year sentence for rape. According to the probable cause affidavit, in April 2005, Johnson gave a woman a ride from Eustis and offered her money for sex. She refused and he pointed a gun at her and demanded she perform fellatio on him. She complied out of fear of being shot and Johnson drove her behind the county probation office in Tavares. He made her exit the vehicle and raped her on the back of the vehicle.
Johnson was not wearing a condom and left behind bodily fluid evidence that was sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for processing. A little more than a year later, in August 2006, LCSO received notice from FDLE that the evidence matched a DNA profile in the Florida Convicted Offender DNA Database. Johnson was charged with sexual battery while in the Lake County Jail on separate charges.
Along with the failure to comply charges, Johnson is also facing a charge of resisting arrest without violence. He is being held in the Lake County Jail on “No Bond.”
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. In addition, she has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
