A Florida movie theater’s armed guard was recently sentenced to 15 years in prison after being found guilty of raping a girl, 15.
Augusta Williams, 34, was convicted of lewd or lascivious battery on a child aged 12 to 16, the State Attorney’s Office for the Fifth Judicial Circuit announced Monday.
The incident happened on Jan. 14, 2023, when the teen was at the movies in Ocala with a group of friends, according to reporting from The Miami Herald. The teen’s friends were picked up by a grandparent who refused to take the minor home. The teen could not reach a parent and Williams, an armed security guard at the theater, allegedly offered to watch over the minor.
He took the minor to an empty theater and sexually assaulted the teen behind a curtain. Williams is also accused of threatening the minor and allegedly tapped his gun in a warning for her to “not say anything,” according to media.
The child’s parent was having cellphone issues. When the teen did not return home, their concerned parent went to the theater to find them. The minor told their parent what happened the next day.
Williams was charged Jan. 17, 2023, according to media reporting.
Leesfield & Partners
Leesfield & Partners is a personal injury law firm with nearly five decades of experience representing injured clients and their loved ones. The firm’s diligent and skilled trial attorneys have decades of experience handling sexual assault injury cases and have secured record and historic settlements and verdicts throughout the state. Our attorneys use their compassion, tenacity and knowledge of the law to secure the best possible outcome in every case.
Most recently, Partner Justin B. Shapiro and Evan Robinson, a Trial Attorney at the firm, filed a lawsuit on behalf of a 14-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted at an LA Fitness gym. In that case, the perpetrator had a known history of violent behavior at the gym, and nothing was done to restrict his access to the property.
The incident has left our minor client with PTSD, recurring flashbacks and night terrors.
Instead of focusing on her plans for the future, she has been forced to relive the trauma, said Mr. Robinson.
“She lives in a constant state of fear that she may run into her assailant, and she’s haunted by flashbacks and nightmares,” he said. “No person should have to live like that — and especially not a child.”
That case is ongoing.
Mr. Shapiro is representing a woman in a separate incident who was left traumatized after a St. Regis Bal Harbour hotel worker watched her as she showered in her hotel room’s private bathroom.
This case is also ongoing.
Ira Leesfield, the firm’s Founder and Managing Partner, has supported victims and survivors throughout numerous personal injury cases. In addition to litigation, Mr. Leesfield also contributes annually to organizations providing essential services to individuals who have been impacted by sexual abuse. Through The Leesfield Family Foundation, Mr. Leesfield has worked with organizations such as Krisit House, Voices for Children, Lawyers for Children America.
Trial Attorney Bernardo Pimentel II is handling a case on behalf of a woman who has been left with significant trauma after she was filmed without her consent while traveling on a cruise ship. The woman in that case was filmed by a cruise employee who had planted a hidden camera in the private bathrooms of multiple passengers, including children. That employee was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison.
The case is ongoing.
Previous Cases
Mr. Shapiro secured a $16 million settlement for a husband and wife who were savagely beaten at a Florida hotel. In the attack, the wife was raped and sexually assaulted. The horrific incident was witnessed by hotel employees and security who did nothing to intervene.
The man was allowed to enter the property and traveled up the elevator to the couple’s room, all without being questioned. The attack that ensued was grotesque, grisly and preventable had hotel officials only heeded the advice of hiring armed security, which was given to them by police and two security companies. That advice was given following the hotel’s long history of gun violence and other crimes. This advice, however, was ignored so that the hotel could save money.
Previously, Leesfield & Partners represented four adults who were sexually abused by a clergyman while they were children enrolled in separate parochial schools.
The firm obtained a confidential settlement for them in that case.
The firm obtained an $8.6 million recovery for a minor who was being sexually abused by a counselor at a well-known Florida summer camp. Instead of detecting odd behaviors that should have been obvious indicators to camp officials that something was wrong, they ignored these signs and allowed the abuse to continue.
A multi-million-dollar recovery was obtained for the male students of a teacher at a well-respected Florida high school after the school allowed this teacher access to the children, who he repeatedly sexually abused.
In a case involving an unaccompanied minor who was abused by a passenger on an airplane, Leesfield & Partners obtained a confidential settlement. The minor in that case was meant to be watched over by the airline’s flight attendants who failed to properly supervise and protect the child.
Leesfield & Partners previously represented a hotel maid who was raped while on the job by a man who was allowed to be on the property despite not being a guest.
The firm obtained over $1 million for the woman in that case.
Our attorneys represented a store employee who was brutally raped while on the job after the mall had limited its security patrol.
A Canadian tourist who was traveling on a cruise ship was assaulted by a member of the crew with access to her cabin via an employee keycard. This crew member abused his employee status to gain entry into the woman’s room and attacked her.
Leesfield & Partners obtained a confidential settlement for the woman in that case.
Leesfield & Partners obtained a $1 million recover in that case.
The firm obtained a $650,000 recovery in a case involving a youth center that failed to properly supervise the children in their care.
If you or a loved one were affected by sexual assault, help can be found by calling the National Sexual Assault Hotline for support at 1-800-656-4673.
If you or a loved one were affected by sexual assault and are interested in making a claim, don’t wait. Call a Leesfield & Partners attorney for a free consultation at 800-836-6400 or 305-854-4900.