Gainesville Man Serving One Year of Probation After Child Molestation Case was Downgraded to Misdemeanor

On January 23, 2026, Lonnie Joe Ward, 49, entered a no contest plea agreement for a misdemeanor battery charge and was sentenced to one year of probation.

Alachua County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Ward on October 11, 2024, on a child molestation charge. 

The incident location was a haunted house in Newberry with several teens who were participating as scare actors. Several parents were chaperoning the event.

Deputy Anthony Perez made contact with the 15-year-old victim, who advised she was sitting in a wheelchair positioned as a scare actor, along with another child who was standing behind her. She advised that Ward was the last person to enter the haunted house, and as he entered their area, he reached towards her inner-thigh area, running his hand up toward her genital area. She explained that Ward then grabbed her left arm and held onto it for half a minute, staring at her in a bizarre manner before disengaging and leaving the area. 

The other scare actor who was standing next to the victim gave police a statement that was consistent with the victim’s account, advising that Ward looked at him as if he were surprised or trying to “play it off.” The witness advised that Ward appeared “drunk” and “bizarre,” describing him as attempting to say “boo” as he exited. 

Deputy Eric Pai made initial contact with Ward. Pai reported, “I gathered Ward’s personal information and asked him what time he had arrived at the location. As we talked, Ward told me that he and his two sons arrived between 7pm and 8pm. He stated that his younger son did not get out of the vehicle as he did not want to attend, but his older son was a participant in the event and was out on the haunted trail during the event. Ward went on to explain that this was some type of charity event put on by the parents of his children's friends.” 

Pai noted that Ward “appeared to be intoxicated. He had bloodshot, watery eyes and was unable to stand in one place as we talked. I further noted that Ward had a distinct orbital sway as he stood as well as lacking the ability to focus and follow simple instructions such as not putting his hands in his pockets, making repetitive statements, and talking to himself aloud. I asked Ward about how much he had to drink. Ward stated that he had consumed three to four beers since he had been at the location… Ward asked what we (law enforcement) [were] doing and I told him that we were here due to an allegation, but I didn't state what the allegation was. Ward then spontaneously stated that he ‘never touched any child inappropriately.’”

A short time later, Perez made contact with Ward and read him a Miranda warning. 

“Ward stated that he knew he should not say anything but felt compelled to make a statement,” described Pai. “Ward then continued talking, making a spontaneous statement where he explained the reason he was at the venue, how he came to be in the haunted forest area of the property (Ward stated that he was looking for his son) and how he would never touch a child.”

Perez noted that the smell of alcohol was “emitting” from Ward and he had "bloodshot watery eyes.” 

Ward initially had no bond, with prosecutors indicating their intent to file a pretrial detention motion. However, soon after, they revoked their intent, and Ward posted a $50,000 bond.

In December 2025, prosecutors declined to prosecute Ward for child molestation and instead prosecuted the incident as misdemeanor battery, greatly reducing his potential penalties. He faced a maximum sentence of roughly a year in jail but only received probation. 

At Ward’s change-of-plea hearing, Judge Jonathan Ramsey ordered him to pay the victim $26,000 in restitution at a rate of $2,364 per month. He was also required to undergo a substance abuse program, which he reportedly completed in February. 

Court records show Ward was granted a withheld adjudication for attempted burglary in 1997 and was convicted of possessing narcotics in 2009. 

Court records indicate Ward is serving his probation in Gainesville.