3 Teens Charged In Sex Case

By RAY REYES The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 9, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - Three Dixie Hollins High School students were arrested Thursday in connection with the molestation of a 15-year-old girl, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said.

Branden Allen, 18, of 5432 Lynn Lake Drive, St. Petersburg, was charged with sexual battery and false imprisonment. Jermeil Douse, 16, and Jacolbi Williams, 15, each were charged with principal to sexual battery and false imprisonment. All the charges are felonies.

Investigators said Allen sexually battered the victim about 6:15 p.m. Tuesday in a parked school bus while Douse and Williams acted as lookouts.

Although Douse and Williams did not commit the sexual battery, their actions facilitated the crime against the victim, sheriff's spokeswoman Marianne Pasha said.

The school bus left the Dixie Hollins campus late each day to accommodate students participating in extracurricular academic or sports activities.

The bus was still on the school grounds at 4940 62nd St. N. when the driver went to round up students who were running late, the sheriff's office said. When he stepped away, Allen opened the bus door and went inside. The girl, whose name was not released, followed so she could get a seat for the ride home, detectives said.

Douse and Williams boarded next. Allen asked them to act as lookouts, according to an arrest affidavit. The girl was then molested, despite her resistance and protestations, investigators said.

The incident stopped as other students arrived to board the bus.

The girl's parents contacted the sheriff's office Wednesday, Pasha said.

Allen was taken to Pinellas County Jail, where he was being held Thursday night on $55,000 bail. Douse and Williams were taken to the Juvenile Assessment Center.

Reporter Ray Reyes can be reached at (813) 259-7920 or rreyes@tampatrib

.com.