A Tallahassee man has been charged with sexually assaulting a teenager last April in a stairwell of the hotel where he worked.
Rickey Griffin, 51, faces a felony count of sexual battery on a child under 18 but over 12, court dockets show.
According to a probable cause affidavit, the victim was in town visiting family and stayed at the Homewood Suites off Apalachee Parkway. There, she met Griffin, who introduced himself as “Chris.”
She said they exchanged Instagram accounts and interests, with Griffin asking about books she was reading and subjects she was studying. She told him she was excited to get her driver’s license and he said she could drive his truck, the affidavit said.
Late one evening, Griffin messaged the victim to meet him in the stairwell between the first and second floor. That’s where the alleged assault occurred, records show.
Tallahassee police investigated footage from the hotel’s surveillance cameras and identified a man they say is Griffin entering the stairwell at the time of the reported attack.
Griffin had his first appearance Jan. 23 before Leon County Judge LaShawn Riggans. She ordered a public defender assigned to Griffin and told him to have no further contact with the victim. He remained in the Leon County jail as of Jan. 23.
Arianna Otero is the trending and breaking news reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact her via email at AOtero@tallahassee.com and follow her on X: @ari_v_otero.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Police charge Tallahassee man in teen’s assault in hotel stairwell