A Knoxville man is facing serious charges after police say he sexually assaulted a woman and later attempted to interfere with the investigation.
According to court records, Knoxville police first took a report of a sexual assault on August 5. During the investigation, officers advised 21-year-old Jaxson Willis multiple times—both directly and through his defense attorney—not to have any contact with the victim. Despite those warnings, Willis allegedly reached out to the victim on several occasions, pressuring her not to move forward with the case.
Documents state that on September 9, after learning formal charges were being filed, Willis again contacted the victim, attempting to make her feel guilty for reporting the assault. Investigators obtained screenshots of TikTok messages Willis reportedly sent as part of those attempts.
Court filings also reveal the victim discovered videos of the assault on Willis’s cellphone. She told police she had no memory of the incident at the time because she was incapacitated. The victim later identified Willis, her ex-boyfriend, as the person who sexually assaulted her in March 2025 at his residence in the 1600 block of Richards Drive. During a police interview, Willis admitted to recording the video.
A search warrant was executed on his cellphone, and Willis was subsequently arrested and booked into the Marion County Jail. He is being held on a $12,000 surety bond, and a no-contact order has been put in place.
Willis is charged with third-degree sexual abuse, a Class C felony, and tampering with a witness, an aggravated misdemeanor.
