Florida Nurse Jailed for Sex With 15-Year-Old Stepson, Loses Medical License Weeks After Divorce Filing

A Florida nurse once trusted to care for vulnerable patients has now been stripped of her career, her freedom and her marriage, after being jailed for sexually abusing her 15-year-old stepson and losing her medical licence just weeks after her husband filed for divorce.

Alexis Von Yates, 35, of Ocala, is serving a two-year prison sentence following a shocking 2024 incident in her family home, while state regulators have now permanently revoked her right to practise nursing, sealing her dramatic and disgraceful downfall.

On 26 July 2024, what began as an ordinary summer visit for the teenager turned into a nightmare. Court records show Von Yates chose to spend time alone with her stepson after putting her two younger children to bed. The pair watched a horror film, played video games and used a THC vape before the situation turned sexual.

Her husband, David Yates, returned home late from work and walked in on them together on the family sofa. The discovery was so disturbing that it triggered an immediate crisis within the household and ultimately led to an anonymous tip being made to police four days later. Investigators later learned that the boy told officers Von Yates had been making sexual remarks towards him for a week before the assault, suggesting a pattern of grooming rather than a single impulsive act.

The teenager and his siblings had been staying with the couple for the summer, making the betrayal even more severe in the eyes of prosecutors. What should have been a safe family environment became the scene of a deeply damaging crime.

Court, Conviction and Punishment

Von Yates appeared in court in September 2025 and accepted a no-contest plea to lewd and lascivious battery on a child aged between 12 and 16. The charge was reduced from the original count of sexual battery by a person in familial authority, which could have carried a life sentence.

The judge sentenced her to two years in state prison, followed by two years of community control and 10 years on sex offender probation. She will also be required to register as a sex offender upon release.

During sentencing, the victim's mother delivered a scathing statement, branding Von Yates an 'incestuous pedophile' who had groomed and violated her son. She accused the defendant of showing no remorse and described her as a 'coward' who shattered her child's sense of safety. Court observers said the atmosphere in the courtroom was tense and emotional as the full impact of the crime was laid bare.

Licence Revoked After Regulator Hearing

While Von Yates was already behind bars, her professional fate was decided separately by the Florida Board of Nursing. Her licence had been suspended in April 2024 pending investigation, but a final decision came last month after a formal meeting with regulators and her legal team.

According to documents reviewed by local media, Von Yates did not contest the allegations during the hearing. As a result, the Florida Department of Health issued a final order revoking her nursing licence permanently.

Health officials said the decision was necessary to protect patients and uphold public trust in the profession. In practical terms, it means Von Yates can never again work as a nurse in Florida, even after completing her prison term and probation.

The timing was particularly striking, as the revocation came just weeks after her husband filed for divorce in December 2025 in Marion County Court.

Marriage Collapses Amid Scandal

David Yates moved to end the marriage late last year, formally filing for divorce in December. Court records do not detail the terms, but legal observers say the criminal case and public disgrace made reconciliation virtually impossible.

Friends of the family told local reporters that the betrayal had ripped the household apart, leaving deep emotional scars on the children involved. Von Yates's two younger children are now believed to be living away from her while she serves her sentence.

The case has sparked wider debate in Florida about safeguarding minors, professional accountability and how such abuse can occur within families that appear outwardly stable.

For Von Yates, the consequences are now comprehensive. She is imprisoned, branded a sex offender, stripped of her career and separated from her husband. For her stepson and his family, the legal process may be over, but the trauma will likely last far longer.

What began as a single night in a family living room has ended with a ruined marriage, a shattered career and a life permanently marked by conviction.