News and Investigations

On Saturday, December 2, 2017 at about 9:00 a.m., Polk County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested a man for kidnapping and sexual battery of a minor, which occurred earlier that morning in the Davenport area. 

30-year-old Travis Burton of Haines City, is charged with sexual battery on a 16-year-old girl, as well as kidnapping, for tying her up with rope, and binding her with tape, inside an unoccupied residence in Davenport. 

According to the affidavits, Burton punched the girl multiple times in the face shortly after she arrived at the residence where Burton was waiting. He then bound her with tape, cut off her underwear, and sexually battered the girl a total of four times throughout the early morning hours. 

The girl said that Burton put a knife to her throat, and attached a dog leash to her neck. 

Burton later put the girl in a truck, and he drove until getting stuck in an orange grove. He then sexually battered her again in the truck.

Deputies found the truck, with the girl inside, but Burton had fled on foot. When he was located, he told deputies that he had arranged for the girl to meet him, after contacting her on the Internet. He said that he agreed to pay the girl $300 for sex. They reportedly had a disagreement over the money, so she refused to leave, and Burton said that it, "got a little rough." 

Burton's charges include the following: Sexual battery on a minor over 12 (F-1), kidnapping (F-1), burglary (F-2), aggravated child abuse (F-1), and soliciting for prostitution (M-2).

Travis Burton's criminal history includes charges for burglary, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, battery, vehicle theft, resisting, fleeing to elude, giving false ID to law enforcement, cannabis and meth possessions, DWLSR,violating probation, battery on law enforcement, larceny, aggravated stalking, battery on a person 65 or older, grand theft, and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.