INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The grand jury indicted a man with sexual battery on a child after lab results showed a strong match of the man’s DNA to evidence found on the girl, reports show. The jury on Tuesday handed down a true bill for Joshua William Stuck, who remained held Wednesday at the Indian River County Jail without bond.
If convicted, Stuck faces up to life in prison.
“The defendant was indicted on a capital offense. It is punishable by either death or life imprisonment,” said Assistant State Attorney Elise Kearney, who prosecuted the case. “In this case, the state will not be seeking the death penalty so if the defendant is found guilty as charged, he will be sentenced to life imprisonment.”
Joshua William Stuck PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
The incident occurred overnight on March 8 at an Indian River County residence. Stuck, 43, was temporarily living at the home.
The 10-year-old girl texted her mother, who was at work. The girl told her mother that Stuck got into bed with her, pulled down her pants and sexually battered her, reports show.
The mother returned home and confronted Stuck, who denied the allegations and left from the home in a Hyundai Santa Fe.
Indian River County sheriff’s deputies followed Stuck as he traveled southbound along Interstate 95. Deputies conducted a traffic stop on the Hyundai when it reached mile marker 138 on the interstate in St. Lucie County.
Deputies initially arrested Stuck on a charge of no valid driver’s license. On April 21, deputies arrested Stuck on the sexual battery charge after lab results showed his DNA matched a sample taken from the girl, reports show.
Stuck pled not guilty to the charge. Stuck has an arraignment set for 8:45 a.m. Oct. 16, court records show.
A trial date has not yet been set.
