A sex offender convicted of molesting a child has moved into a villa near a postal station in The Villages.
James Lee Ballard, 57, on Oct. 6 registered an address at 2618 Botello Ave. which is near the postal station in the Village of Alhambra, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. He had previously been living in in the Placida Villas in the Village of Dunedin. He had registered that address on Sept. 1.
Ballard was arrested in 2019 in Alachua County after molesting a young boy who was in his Bible studies class. Ballard was accused of having oral sex with the boy, who was younger than 12 at the time. Ballard had worked as a substitute teacher and health clinic assistant for the Marion County School Board.
Ballard was convicted of two counts of lewd or lascivious conduct.
Ballard is driving a gray 2004 Ford truck, according to FDLE.
