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Florida 'serial groper' sentenced to 15 years for attempted sexual battery, attempted murder

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Published  February 27, 2025 1:43pm EST
Lake County
FOX 35 Orlando
article

Jephson Seguin (CREDIT: Eustis Police Department)

The Brief

    • Jephson Seguin, 22, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and 15 years of sex offender probation after pleading guilty to attempted sexual battery, attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, and fleeing police.
    • In June 2023, Seguin attacked a victim in Eustis, Florida, before fleeing and later attempting to run over an officer, who fired at his vehicle; he was arrested two days later with a gunshot wound.
    • Investigators linked Seguin to the crime through DNA evidence, surveillance footage, and a surgical mask found in his truck, leading to his conviction and designation as a sexual predator.

ORLANDO, Fla. - A Florida man was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges related to an attempted sexual battery and an attack on a law enforcement officer, prosecutors said.

Pleaded guilty 

What we know:

Jephson Seguin, 22, pleaded guilty to attempted sexual battery with force likely to cause injury while wearing a mask, attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer with a weapon while wearing a mask, and fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, according to the Lake County State Attorney’s Office.

"…deserving of this fifteen-year sentence"

What they're saying:

Judge James R. Baxley sentenced Seguin to 15 years in prison, followed by 15 years of sex offender probation. 

He was also designated a sexual predator.

"The sense of security taken from this victim by this defendant and the crimes he committed after that are deserving of this fifteen-year sentence," said Walter Forgie, chief assistant state attorney.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Eustis residents react to arrest of alleged ‘serial groper,’ turned in by his own mother

Arrested in June 2023

The backstory:

Seguin was arrested in June 2023 following an investigation by the Eustis Police Department. Officers responded to a call about an attempted sexual battery on Morningview Drive, where a victim reported being attacked by a man wearing a grey, black, and white hoodie and a surgical mask. 

The suspect allegedly grabbed and groped the victim before throwing them to the ground and fleeing. Moments later, gunshots were heard.

Officers searching the area saw a man in a black truck matching the suspect’s description. When they attempted to approach him, he fled and allegedly tried to run over an officer, who fired at the vehicle. Surveillance footage later showed the suspect running from the scene to the parked truck.

Reaction to arrest of accused Eustis groper

Reaction to arrest of accused Eustis groper

Eustis police officers sectioned off a home on Marietta Lane late Thursday, as the investigation of a man accused of attacking three women continued.

Authorities traced the vehicle to its owner, who confirmed that Seguin had been driving it. An arrest warrant was issued, and Seguin was found two days later with a gunshot wound. He admitted to being in the driver’s seat when the officer fired. 

Investigators recovered his truck at his grandmother’s house, where they found DNA evidence linking him to the scene. A surgical mask, similar to the one described by the victim, was also found inside.

Assistant State Attorney Thomas Wieczorek prosecuted the case.

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The Source: The information in this article comes from previous reporting done by the FOX 35 news staff, the Eustis Police Department and the State Attorney's Office 5th Judicial Circuit of Florida.  

Lake CountyCrime and Public Safety