Plea deal withdrawn for man charged in 2013 kidnapping, rape of 5-year-old girl

A man charged with the 2013 kidnapping and rape of a 5-year-old girl in a mobile home park was scheduled to take a plea deal Monday morning, but the State Attorney’s Office withdrew the deal it had offered him.

Dominick Jerome Hawkins, 40, is charged with sexual battery on a person younger than 12 years and kidnapping a child under 13. If Hawkins were to stand trial and be convicted, he could face life in prison.

On Monday morning, Circuit Judge Brian Iten informed Hawkins that the plea deal he had been offered was being withdrawn by the State Attorney’s Office.

Hawkins is scheduled to stand trial during the two-week trial period that begins Dec. 4. He is being appointed a new attorney, however, after his current attorney withdrew from the case Monday after telling the judge he had taken a new job. This could result in another delay for the case.

In the courtroom, before the hearing got underway, Hawkins’ attorney could be overheard saying his client was having second thoughts.

It’s not the first time. Hawkins case has been scheduled for a plea hearing at least three times before, and he has refused to take deals offered to him.

Hawkins has remained in custody at the Manatee County jail on no bond for more than four years awaiting trial.

Hawkins was arrested in July 2013 and charged with kidnapping a 5-year-old girl from the Wayside Glen Mobile Home Park, 5120 14th St. W. Detectives say Hawkins had lured the girl, who was playing outside with a friend, with the promise to buy her candy.

After taking her to the India Bazaar store, 5112 14th St. W., detectives have said Hawkins took the girl to a vacant mobile home at the former Aloha Estates Mobile Home Park, 5310 14th St. W., which has since been demolished, held her down and choked her while he raped her. A WaWa store now sits on the property.

Hawkins left her inside the mobile home, according to investigators, but she managed to escape, run back home and told a family member about the attack. Meanwhile, the sheriff’s office said surveillance video showed Hawkins trying to get on a southbound bus.

That sparked a 48-hour manhunt before Hawkins was captured in Sarasota County, during which former Manatee County Sheriff Brad Steube said to the suspect during a press conference, “We are coming for you, we are hunting you.”

This story was originally published October 23, 2017 at 12:57 PM with the headline "Plea deal withdrawn for man charged in 2013 kidnapping, rape of 5-year-old girl."