Tampa law enforcement officials have arrested a local man who they believe held a former love interest against her will for two days. Police say that 32-year-old Ernest Vereen, Jr., held his ex-girlfriend this week after the pair had an argument on Sunday. The woman, who is 22 years of age, described being beaten and raped by her ex-boyfriend while he held her captive. She was able to escape from him in the early evening on Tuesday, investigators believe. She immediately went to a gas station and was taken to the hospital to be examined. On Thursday, Tampa police received a tip about Vereen's current location, and he was arrested and taken into custody near the intersection of Delaware Avenue and Willow Street. Vereen was charged with three counts of sexual battery on the woman, as well as kidnapping and aggravated robbery.
The sexual battery, or rape, statute is codified at Florida Statute 794.011. Sexual battery on a person who is over the age of 12 is a second degree felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison, when the offender does not use "physical force or violence likely to cause serious personal injury." However, the statute also provides that an offender who does use such force is guilty of a first-degree felony, which is punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Vereen has likely been charged with first-degree sexual battery due to the allegation that the woman was physically held against her will.
Kidnapping is covered at Florida Statute 787.01(1)(a)-(2), and includes holding a person against his or her will to commit a felony, to terrorize the kidnapped person or another individual, to use as a shield or hostage, to obtain a ransom, or to interfere with government functions. Kidnapping is punishable by up to 30 years of imprisonment. Robbery as a criminal act is codified at Florida Statute 812.13, and the sentence can be increased if the robber used a deadly weapon, such as a gun.
