Spotsy man guilty of molesting boy

Jurors convict Spotsylvania County resident of sodomy, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and distributing marijuana to a juvenile

Date published: 2/22/2008

BY ELLEN BILTZ

A Spotsylvania man was convicted last night of sexually molesting a 15-year-old boy.

About 8:30 p.m., a jury found Cecil Lamont Bryant, 43, guilty of forcible sodomy, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and distributing marijuana to a juvenile.

As of press time last night, the jury had not returned a sentence on the convictions.

Bryant, who was represented by public defenders Robin Tarabochia and Martha Norton, did not testify. But his attorneys held throughout the trial that the sexual acts between Bryant and the 15-year-old were consensual.

Commonwealth's Attorney Bill Neely, however, said the victim was clearly afraid of Bryant, which is why he let the count of oral sex, as well as sodomy stand.

Bryant was charged last July after the 15-year-old said he went with Bryant to the man's house because he was a friend of Bryant's niece. Once they got there, he said, he smoked marijuana and drank Bacardi rum in the basement.

He said that after asking Bryant to take him home and they were beginning to leave, Bryant pushed him onto a futon and then performed oral sex on him.

He testified that Bryant said he would get physical if he didn't do as he was told.

Neely and prosecutor Crystal Montague said all of the teenager's action were because he was afraid.

Court testimony showed that after the oral sex, the boy was then told by Bryant to "do me first," which he did.

After Bryant, "switched places" and sodomized him, the victim said he asked to use the restroom.

After being denied the ability to take his clothes with him upstairs to the bathroom, the victim said he ran from the house, in only his socks and shoes, through the woods to a house that he knew.

Tarabochia said repeatedly that the victim's story has changed constantly since the incident last July. She suggested that was because he wanted to cover up a continuing lie.

Detective Twyla DeMoranville said though that it is common with the victim of a sexual assault, especially a juvenile, to add more to the story as they gain more trust in the law enforcement they are confiding in.

A registered nurse and sexual assault examiner at Mary Washington Hospital, Gail Perkins, testified that the victim's injuries included bleeding at his anus, which was consistent with blunt force trauma.

And Neely said that was another sign of his abuse.

"You get a flavor for why you don't see more sexual assault victims come forward," he told the jury. "He's got a torn anus and he's bleeding. What more do you need?"

Ellen Biltz: 540/374-5424
Email: ebiltz@freelancestar.com

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Date published: 2/22/2008