A registered sex offender is accused in the February kidnapping and sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl at a Sanford Wal-Mart, according to the police department.

  • Samuel Lee Hardy Jr. accused of sexual assault of teen
  • Girl was kidnapped in Sanford Wal-Mart parking lot
  • Hardy claims the sex was consensual, police say

Samuel Lee Hardy Jr. was arrested and charged Tuesday with one count of kidnapping, one count of forced sexual battery with a weapon on a victim 12 years or older and two counts of violation of probation.

According to Sanford Police investigators, the girl was in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart at 3653 South Orlando Drive on the afternoon of Feb. 8 when she walked passed Hardy's vehicle.

Hardy ordered the victim by knifepoint to get into his car, where he drove her to an area near Washington Oaks and raped her, police said. He then dropped off the girl at the same Wal-Mart and told her not to tell anyone what happened.

Hardy was identified by a rape kit, but according to an arrest report, Hardy stated that he had "consensual sex" with the girl. However, the arrest report says the teen suffered injuries consistent with sexual assault.

Police say Hardy — a convicted sex offender — was sentenced to six years in prison for having sex with minors and had just been released from prison on sexual offender status less than year before the alleged incident.

Hardy’s fiancé, Lashavia Hill, came to the Seminole County jail for Hardy’s first appearance Wednesday afternoon.

She said the accusations against Hardy are false.

"I'm not saying he didn't engage in anything sexual, but it was nothing with force, a knife, or a kidnapping or any of that,” Hill said. "He's not the type of person to force anyone to do anything. It's just not his nature."

Hill said Hardy changed while in prison.

"He was doing so well; he was not doing anything in trouble,” Hill said. “I was with him a majority of the time, so I don't know, that's just not the person he is. He's a very family-oriented person."

A judge found probable cause for Hardy’s charges, and he was denied bond. Hardy is due back in court in June.

“I'm going to stand by him because I know he didn't do what he's being accused of," Hill said.