A 23-year-old Ocala man who worked with children full-time at a local ranch has been arrested after he was accused of molesting a young girl.
On Monday, November 18, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office detective placed Jason Mena under arrest for lewd and lascivious behavior on a victim younger than 12 years old.
According to MCSO, the Department of Children and Families contacted MCSO on August 20, 2024, regarding a girl who had disclosed that a man, identified as Mena, had “touched her inappropriately under her clothing” when she was 10 years old.
The victim told investigators that during the incident, she “wiggl(ed) and squirm(ed)” in an attempt to get away from Mena, but he allegedly continued to molest her.
According to the victim’s statement, Mena admitted to the victim’s parents that he had “sexually touched” her.
MCSO detectives made numerous attempts to locate Mena. On Monday, November 18, Mena was located and brought to the sheriff’s office for questioning. After being read his Miranda rights, he allegedly corroborated the victim’s statement and admitted to molesting the victim when he was 18 years old.
The arrest report stated that during the post-Miranda interview, Mena advised that he had a “long-standing problem with pornography,” adding that it “gave him the thought” to inappropriately touch the victim.
A deputy noted in the arrest report that Mena willingly wrote apology letters to the victim, her family, and members of his church.
Mena was arrested and transported to the Marion County Jail, where he is currently being held without bond. He is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday, December 26, at 9 a.m., according to jail records.
At the time of Mena’s arrest, he was working with children full-time at the Rocking F Ranch located on SW 172nd Loop in Ocala. “Due to this employment, detectives also believe it is possible that there are other victims,” stated the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
MCSO encourages anyone who believes they may have been victimized by Mena to call Detective Osthed at 352-351-4710.