Florida man was allowed to enter a plea agreement late last month, pleading guilty to raping a 13-year-old girl and forcing her to take the “morning after pill” to prevent her from becoming pregnant.
Robert Joseph McGuire Jr., 34, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual battery on a person 12 to 18 years of age involving threat of retalition, according to the State Attorney’s Office for the 5th Judicial District.
He’ll be spending nearly 18 1/2 years in prison and must register as a sexual predator after his release, when he’ll be on probation for 10 years.
He was on probation for an unnamed offense when he raped the 13-year-old girl.
“The cruel actions and intent behind this defendant’s crimes are repulsive,” said Chief Assistant State Attorney Walter Forgie. “Despite being victimized and threatened, this courageous young victim spoke up and sought help; ensuring McGuire would eventually be held accountable.”
Hernando County investigators learned of the rape from an adult that the young girl confided in in October 2021. The adult said the girl had been “extremely quiet” for several days before finally telling the adult about the rape.
Officials spoke with the victim, who confirmed what she’d said to the adult, adding that McGuire had told her he would kill her if she told anyone else what happened and forced her to take the emergency contraceptive commonly known as “Plan B,” which he bought at a CVS pharmacy.
McGuire wore a GPS monitor and was tracked to the pharmacy at around the time of the rape. Additionally, officers collected surveillance footage from inside the store showing him purchasing the contraceptive.
They also collected DNA evidence from the scene of the rape that matched McGuire.
McGuire was already in jail on a probation violation when detectives charged him with sexual battery. He denied the allegations but pleaded guilty on February 20, more than three years after the rape.
