A child molester could face the rest of his life in prison after he was convicted this week for inappropriately touching a 7-year-old girl.
The man, James William Mabe, was convicted on lesser charges of attempted child rape and on original charges of aggravated sexual battery. The convictions include three counts of both crimes, meaning he could face several decades behind bars when he appears before Circuit Court Judge Bart Stanley for sentencing.
Had he been convicted on the original counts of child rape, he would have faced 25 to 40 years on each count, which would have made it a true life sentence.
Jurors returned with the guilty verdicts against Mabe on Tuesday evening after a two-day trial in which they heard testimony from the young victim who used a drawing to point to where Mabe had touched her. She circled the midsection of the drawing to indicate Mabe had touched her private areas.
Jurors learned the molestations happened while other people were in the same room as the victim and assailant. Specifically, prosecutors proved Mabe used a blanket to cover them while he touched her inappropriately. The incidents happened in a bed where other people were napping and in a chair where he was watching cartoons with the child as other people walked through the room.
It was revealed during trial the girl had tried to tell her mother but was not believed. She did, however, confide in her younger brother who eventually mentioned the incidents to someone. The victim was then interviewed at the Children’s Advocacy Center where she told the story of what had happened to her at the hands of Mabe.
“It had been weighing heavy on her mind,” said McMinnville Police detective Todd Rowland of her coming forward to reveal the secret. “She was ready to tell someone about it.”
Rowland pointed out the case would not have been possible without the courage of the young victim to come forward. The detective said talking is the key to ending the ongoing nightmare for victims of sexual predators.
“Tell somebody,” Rowland said is the advice he can give any child who is being touched inappropriately, whether by stranger or family member. “Tell someone and let us help.”