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Tampa Man Charged With Raping 13-Year-Old Girl

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By AMERICA DEUPREE

News Channel 8

Published: July 31, 2008

Anthony Owens

TAMPA - A 24-year-old Tampa man was arrested Wednesday night and charged with sexually battering an emotionally handicapped 13-year-old girl, police say.

It happened July 7 at a Budget Inn in Tampa, according to police records that give this account of what happened:

The girl left home without permission the night of July 6. Her mother could not find her and became increasingly worried because the girl is emotionally handicapped. Within hours, the mother reported her to police as a runaway and continued to search.

Several hours later the mother called police to say she had found her daughter at a Tampa Budget Inn with a man later identified as Anthony Antwan Owens, 24. The mother confronted Owens, who acknowledged he had sex with the girl. When the mother told him the girl's age, he fled.

The girl told police she went with the man because she thought he was nice. She said that once at the motel, he forced her to have sex and would not let her leave.

Police say they identified Owens through the motel guest log and the description given by the child and her mother.

A warrant was issued July 15, and Owens was found at 1704 E. Kirby St. at 8:45 p.m. Wednesday.

When the officers searched Owens, they found part of a marijuana cigarette, police say.

Owens was charged with two felonies, lewd or lascivious battery and sexual battery, and two misdemeanors, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was being held at Orient Road Jail. Bail had not been set.

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