A Bradenton man was arrested Feb. 27 on two counts each of capital sexual battery and molestation following allegations that he assaulted a child.
William Erik Bobo, 35, was arrested Feb. 27 in Holmes Beach on four warrants, two for sexual battery on a child less than 12 years of age and two for lewd or lascivious molestation of a child under 12 years of age following an investigation by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office that began in June 2019.
According to the arrest warrant, the alleged victim, an elementary school-aged child, said that on June 26 she and Bobo were sitting on a couch watching a movie when he touched and penetrated her genital area. The child told investigators that the following day Bobo “did the same thing.”
Bobo was released March 3 on $350,000 cash bond, which was posted March 2 by his father, Allen Bobo, a resident of Key Royale in Holmes Beach.
The bond agreement issued Feb. 28 by 12th Judicial Circuit Judge Gilbert A. Smith Jr. states Bobo resides in Bradenton, but he is to be curfewed 24/7 at his parent’s Key Royale home. He also must wear an electronic monitoring device and have no contact with minors, victims or witnesses.
He is allowed to leave the Key Royale residence only for school, work or medical emergency.
Sarasota attorney Peter Aiken of Aiken, O’Halloran & Associates of Sarasota entered a plea for Bobo of not guilty to the four charges at the first appearance hearing, where Smith set the bond amounts.
Aiken requested arraignment be waived and a jury trial.
Aiken also moved to modify the terms of Bobo’s release but, at press time for The Islander March 9, there was no response to his motions.
He argued that Bobo has a 12-year-old son with whom he shares custody with the child’s mother and, on alternating weeks, the child stays with Bobo at his parents’ residence in Holmes Beach.
Aiken requested Bobo be allowed unsupervised contact with his son at his parents’ home.
Aiken also said that there are other relatives, including children, who frequent the family home and asked that Bobo be allowed to have supervised contact with other family members.
Bobo’s next court date is March 20.