Florida man charged with rape

LELAND GOBLE

BY STACI WILSON

A Florida man was charged with sexually assaulting an intoxicated 15-year-old female during a party in Franklin Twp. in July 2010.

Leland James Goble, 22, of Tampa, Fla., was charged in Montrose District Court by Tpr. Mark Mulvey with felony counts of rape by forcible compulsion and statutory sexual assault. He also faces a corruption of minors charge, a misdemeanor.

He waived his Jan. 10 preliminary hearing in District Court, Montrose.

According to the police affidavit, the victim was intoxicated at a graduation party at a residence on Forks Hill Rd., and was resting on a couch when Goble began talking to her.

One witness told Goble the girl was only 15 and to leave her alone, according to the affidavit.

Goble returned to the girl later and carried her to a bedroom where he began to kiss her. Then, according to police, the teen told Goble to stop, walked out of the room and went to another bedroom to lie down.

According to the affidavit, Goble followed the girl, began kissing her and had sex with her until she pushed him off of her when a small child walked in on them.

On Aug. 5, Goble was interviewed at the Gibson police barracks. According to the affidavit, Goble initially denied having sex with the teen but later admitted it after police told him an adult had accompanied the child to the bedroom and saw him.

According to the affidavit, Goble admitted to the sex but told police he did not know the girl was underage until he was later told by someone that she was only 15.