Felon charged with sexually battering teen in St. Lucie County

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — A convicted carjacker released from prison earlier this year is behind bars again on an allegation of sexual battery on a teenager, according to his arrest affidavit. 

Drayton James, 35, of the 300 block of Essex Drive, Fort Pierce, was charged Wednesday with two sexual offenses and one charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He was held at the St. Lucie County Jail in lieu of $202,500 bail Saturday.

The incident occurred at a home late July 21 or early July 22, investigators said. The teen said James had given her marijuana that evening, the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office reported. She was in the living room when James put her in a choke hold that prevented her from calling for help and made her lose consciousness, she told detectives.

The teen said James pulled her to a room, locked the door and then sexually battered her, the arrest affidavit states.

A relative took the teen to a hospital shortly after the assault, according to the affidavit. 

In his interview with detectives, James said he was drunk and accused the teen of attempting to have sex with him. 

James' criminal record goes back to 2000, according to the Department of Corrections. He was convicted of two counts of carjacking and two counts of dealing in stolen property in St. Lucie County. That was followed by a grand theft auto charge in 2003, for which he also was convicted.

James also was convicted of a 2017 robbery in Hillsborough County. 

He was released from prison in February. 

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Stancil is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm.

Contact Stancil at 321-987-7179

or lamaur.stancil@tcpalm.com.

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