Former correctional officer sentenced to extensive prison term for battery and child sexual battery charges
CCSO mugshot of Mr. Touchton.
Inverness, Floridaa - On March 3, 2022, in the courtroom of the Honorable Judge Richard "Ric" Howard, a jury found 40 year-old James Touchton, of Inverness, guilty of six counts of capital sexual battery of a child under the age of 12, and two counts of domestic battery by strangulation. Touchton was then sentenced to six consecutive life sentences for capital sexual battery and two consecutive five-year sentences for domestic battery.
Touchton, who had been a correctional officer at Lowell Correctional Institute in Ocala, Florida, was arrested on March 11, 2019, by Detective Jason Cook and Detective Mike Laborda with the Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) Special Victims Unit (SVU). The detectives worked closely with the Child Protection Team at Jessie's Place, the Citrus County Child Advocacy Center in Lecanto, Florida, to obtain the statements and evidence needed to place Touchton under arrest.
"Justice has been served today in Citrus County," said Sheriff Mike Prendergast. "Due to the incredible work by our SVU detectives, alongside the Child Protection Team at Jessie's Place, Touchton was quickly arrested and remained in custody all the way through today's trial. Thanks to the court's decision...Touchton will spend the rest of his life in prison and will never be able to abuse another child. While this can never undo the harm done to this victim, I hope they will find solace in knowing Touchton will spend the rest of his life in prison."