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Porn tapes land sex offender in jail

Sexually explicit tapes are found in Joshua Adam Science's possession, a violation of his probation.

By JORGE SANCHEZ
Published February 15, 2005

HOMOSASSA - A man sentenced in November to serve 30 years of probation for sex offenses was arrested Friday, accused of violating the terms of that probation by possessing sexually explicit videotapes.

Joshua Adam Science, 31, remained at the Citrus County Jail Monday. His arraignment on the violation of probation charge will be Feb. 28.

Science was arrested in March 2004 and accused of having illegal sexual contact with teenage girls.

In one case, Science was accused of holding a knife while fondling a 16-year-old Homosassa girl who them performed oral sex on him, according to law enforcement. He said the encounter was consensual.

In another case, Science allegedly had sex with a 15-year old girl. Science denied having sex with her, and said the girl's parents approved of their relationship, the court records showed.

Science also was accused of trying to lure a child to engage in sexual activity and transmitting harmful material to a minor.

Officers said he initiated an Internet chat with a person he thought was a 14-year old girl.

When Science went to meet the girl, he found out he had been corresponding with a Citrus County sheriff's detective and the girl's mother.

Rather than face trial, Science pleaded no contest to seven charges.

But there was no plea bargain with prosecutors: Sentencing was left up to the judge, and Science faced up to 50 years in prison.

At the sentencing hearing, a neuropsychologist said he diagnosed Science as having Asperger's syndrome, which causes him to be unable to read and respond to social cues and to misinterpret actions.

Prosecutors never made a sentencing recommendation.

Circuit Judge Ric A. Howard sentenced him to probation.

Among the many terms of probation is that Science could not view, possess or own any obscene, pornographic or sexually explicit material, according to an arrest record.

On Friday, a probation officer found in Science's bedroom three videotapes that contained sexually explicit acts, the arrest record said.

The tapes were found during a planned search of Science's residence at 11441 Priest Lane.

--Jorge Sanchez can be reached at 860-7313 or e-mail at sanchez@sptimes.com

[Last modified February 15, 2005, 01:16:18]