Gainesville Man With Previous Rape Charge While in Army Arrested for Sexual Assault

Published 7:00 a.m. | Edited 10:00 p.m. | Mistakenly reported Redden was arrested on March 21. His warrant was issued on March 21 and he was arrested on March 31.

Taaz Levonn Redden, 48, was arrested on March 31 on a warrant for false imprisonment, sexual assault, battery and obstructing justice. 

The State Attorney’s Office filed a pretrial detention motion on Redden, which states he has a “prior federal history for a sexual battery (rape) charge while in the U.S. Army and was required at some point to register with that status remaining unclear.”

In the early morning of March 20, Redden called the victim and reportedly stated he “was going to make her life hell” if she did not pick him up and give him a ride. After picking up Redden, the victim asked him if he’d been drinking. Redden reportedly began punching the victim and demanded that he drive the vehicle. Redden attempted to move the victim but then told her to drive to her residence. 

Once at the victim’s driveway, Redden told her to exit the vehicle, and she didn’t move. Redden reportedly pulled the victim out of the vehicle and punched her in the face, back and legs. Redden dragged the victim into her residence and attempted to sexually batter her with his fingers. 

The victim told police she did not immediately contact them because Redden took her phone. 

On April 7, Judge James Colaw denied the state’s motion for pretrial detention on Redden and set his bond at $375,000.