Escambia man convicted for alleged sexual relations with minor

ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. — An Escambia County man has been convicted in connection with an alleged sexual relationship with a 17-year-old, the State Attorney for the First Judicial Circuit of Florida has announced.

On August 3, 2022, Darrel Tyrone Mays Sr. was convicted by an Escambia County jury of three counts of Unlawful Sexual Activity with Certain Minors, the State Attorney’s Office said in a statement.

During the trial, it was revealed that Mays befriended a family that had fallen on hard times. Between August 2019 and January 2020, Mays reportedly took advantage of the situation and began having sex with the 17-year-old victim. Mays was 54 years old at the time of the offense, according to the statement.

According to the State Attorney’s Office, Mays helped provide housing for the victim and her family. He allegedly threatened the victim that if she told anyone about him having sex with her that her family would be homeless again.

This defendant preyed on a vulnerable victim during a difficult time in her family’s life, and that makes him a danger to the community,” said Carrie Gilmer, prosecuting attorney,

“This verdict provides some closure to the family,” she said.

Sentencing is scheduled for September 22, 2022, in front of Circuit Court Judge Jennie Kinsey.

Mays is potentially facing up to forty-five years in state prison and is required to be designated a Sexual Offender.

According to the State Attorney’s Office, Mays also has another pending case for similar allegations against a different victim.

The investigation and arrest were conducted by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant State Attorney Carrie Gilmer prosecuted the case on behalf of Ginger Bowden Madden, State Attorney for the First Judicial Circuit of Florida.