Oviedo man, found guilty of sexual battery of a child in Citrus County, sentenced to life in prison
Photo of Rapheal Malik Akbar Arnold, 34, of Oviedo, FL, courtesy of CCSO.
Citrus County, Florida - On March 15, 2022, in the courtroom of the Honorable Judge Richard "Ric" Howard, a jury found 34 year-old Rapheal Malik Akbar Arnold of Oviedo (Seminole County), Florida, guilty of one count of capital sexual battery of a child under the age of 12; he was subsequently sentenced to life in prison.
On May 7, 2020, allegations of sexual abuse were reported to the Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO), and Detective Ricci with the agency's Special Victims Unit (SVU) immediately began investigating the allegations. The juvenile victim was interviewed by members of the Child Protection Team (CPT) at Jessie's Place, the Citrus County Child Advocacy Center. During this interview, it was determined that numerous instances of sexual abuse had taken place at a Citrus County residence, and also at several other locations within the state.
Based on the results of this investigation, a warrant was issued for Arnold's arrest on a charge of sexual battery of a child under the age of 12. Members of the United States Marshals Service (USMS) Fugitive Task Force located Arnold in North Carolina on July 25, 2020, where he was taken into custody on this warrant. Arnold was later transported to the Citrus County Detention Facility in Lecanto, Florida to await trial, where he was held until his March 15 sentencing.
"Another predator has been removed from society due to the amazing work by CCSO detectives, the Child Protection Team, and the United States Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force," said Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast. "The Citrus County Sheriff's Office remains steadfast in its mission to make our community safe and protect our most vulnerable citizens. It is my hope that Arnold's sentencing will finally allow the victim to begin the healing process."