FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A 59-year-old man who detectives accused of raping a man with disabilities was at the Broward County Main Jail on Sunday afternoon, records show.
Fort Lauderdale police officers arrested Paul John on Thursday, and a judge denied him bond when he appeared in court wearing a suicide prevention vest.
Police officers met the victim on Dec. 8, 2024, at the Imperial Point Hospital’s emergency room, and he said he was in pain after the rape, records show.
The victim, who has a phone sharing his location with his mother, was walking to Walgreens on Dec. 6, 2024, when John, who was driving a Chevrolet Camaro, approached him, according to police.
John “offered” the victim a job, took him to lunch, talked to his mother, who asked him to be patient with his disabilities, and took him to his house in Fort Lauderdale, according to police.
John paid the victim $15 for cleaning his boat, took him to play pool at a gay strip club in Flagler Village, showed him a gun, brought the victim back to his home, and raped him, according to police.
The victim later told his mother’s boyfriend and a detective that he feared for his life, according to a police arrest report.
John had faced similar accusations in a separate incident, according to police.
John faced a charge of sexual battery committed against a victim who is mentally defective or incapacitated, records show.
Detectives asked anyone with information about this or other cases to call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477 to remain anonymous.
Local 10 News Assignment Editor Carson Merlo contributed to this report.
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