A student at the University of Florida has been arrested after raping another student inside her campus apartment, police said.
Ian Fitzgerald Deal, 19, of Ponte Vedra Beach, was arrested early Sunday after he was invited back to the woman’s apartment to hang out at the UF Keys Residential Complex in Gainesville, where she later reported to campus police that she told Deal prior to the meeting that she did not want to have sex, the Gainesville Sun reports.
But Deal — the son of a prominent real estate attorney in Jacksonville Beach — ignored her wishes and proceeded to grab the woman by the neck before flipping her over and disrobing her, according to a campus arrest report obtained by the newspaper.
Deal then pushed the woman’s face into a pillow and proceeded to rape her, repeatedly disregarding her commands to stop. She called police after the attack, according to the arrest report.
Deal was then found naked and asleep in the woman’s bedroom by responding officers. He insisted that the sexual encounter was consensual before requesting an attorney, police said.
The victim was then taken to a hospital for a sexual assault examination while Deal was taken into custody at the Alachua County Jail on a charge of first-degree sexual battery, WTLV reports. He remained in custody with no listed bond as of Tuesday, online records show.
Deal’s father, Blake Deal, who graduated from the University of Florida’s Levin School of Law, said his son insists the encounter with the woman whom he’s known for several years was consensual.
“Our family is in a deep state of shock,” Blake Deal told The Post. “Our son has had a reputation his entire life of being a gentle, kind and respectful young man toward women and he’s known this young lady for a period of over three years.”
Deal said his family is close with relatives of the alleged victim, adding that the woman’s younger sister is “close friends” with his daughter.
“Ian has told me with my question that this was 100 percent consensual,” Deal told The Post. “He is devastated that this woman and her family would accuse him of such a thing. Ian has never been in any trouble whatsoever.”
Deal said he spoke about the woman’s allegations in detail with his son, who vehemently denied them. Ian Deal is scheduled to meet with several attorneys on Tuesday following his expected release from jail, his father said.
Steve Orlando, a university spokesman, said Deal is a sophomore majoring in construction management at the University of Florida.
Originally from Jacksonville, Deal started at the university last year, according to his Facebook profile.