July 10, 2009
Brandon Haught
Public Information Office

MAN ARRESTED FOR SEXUAL BATTERY ON TEENAGER

Volusia County Sheriff’s office sex crimes investigators executed an arrest warrant and a search warrant at a home near Ormond Beach Friday morning. They took into custody a 56-year-old man accused of engaging is sex acts with a teenage boy multiple times. The case is still under investigation as the Sheriff’s Office looks further into F. Douglas Wilhite’s past activities with the possibility that there are additional victims.

The investigation started when Wilhite was interviewed concerning the victim being reported missing in May. It was learned that Wilhite was a nudist and that the victim and the victim’s friends were allowed to be naked around Wilhite. Wilhite went on to claim that the victim had made sexual advances toward him, but that Wilhite never touched the boy sexually. However, Wilhite said he allowed the victim and his friends to come over to his house and have sex, including in his presence. He also said that he offered to provide video equipment to the victim and his friends if they wanted to film themselves naked.

Investigators spoke to the victim in July and learned from him that Wilhite would provide alcohol to him if he would agree to be naked. The victim also said that Wilhite had engaged in sex acts with him about a dozen times.

Wilhite was booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach with a $100,000 bond. Anyone who knows about additional victims is asked to contact investigators at the Sheriff’s Office’s Sex Crimes Unit at (386) 323-3574 or Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida, toll-free, at 1-888-277-TIPS.  Callers to Crime Stoppers will remain anonymous and can qualify for a reward of up to $1,000. Individuals can also Text a tip by texting “TIP231 plus the message” to CRIMES.