Photo: Jerry Studdard An Ozark County man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison on two counts of statutory sodomy of a child. The Ozark County Times reports
Photo: Jerry Studdard An Ozark County Circuit Court jury has found a Wasola resident guilty of two counts of statutory sodomy of a child in the first degree.
Photo: Jerry Studdard
The scheduled jury trial of an Ozark County man charged with two counts of statutory sodomy took an unusual turn in the eleventh hour late last month.
The Ozark County Times reports the jury pool was summoned to the Gainesville First Christian Church to report for duty but jurors were told soon after they arrived the trial had been canceled and their service was no longer needed that day.
The scheduled trial was that of Gainesville resident Jerry Studdard, who had been charged in connection with allegations he had sexually abused multiple children over a 10-year span, dating as far back as 2007. At least one victim was described in earlier court documents as younger than 12 at the time of the abuse.