Two from Stone Co. Get Prison Sentences for Abuse
|
February 22, 2018
|
|
Isaac Estes-Jones
Two men from Stone County have been sentenced to prison on separate child abuse cases, Stone County Prosecuting Attorney Matt Selby announced.
These cases are not related. Both sentences were announced in the past week, however.
Selph sentenced to 30 years
Carl Selph, 44, of Lampe, was convicted by a Barry County jury on four counts of Statutory Sodomy and one count of Child Molestation in November 2017. He was sentenced in January to thirty years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.
The charges were filed in 2013 when a 13 year old girl made allegations that she had been molested by the defendant. Following an investigation by Brian Landreth of the Stone County sheriff’s office, charges were filed. However, due to changes of venue and other matters, the case did not go to trial until late November 2017.
After three days of trial in Barry County, the jury spent around five hours deliberating on the case. They returned five guilty verdicts. Selph was sentenced on January 29, 2018 to the maximum of 30 years. According to a press release from Stone County Prosecuting Attorney Selby, “Lawrence County Associate Circuit Judge, Robert George, who presided over the trial then announced sentence with the defendant getting ten, fifteen and thirty year prison sentences on the various counts, however, all of the terms were to run concurrent for a total of 30 years.”
Online court records indicate that Selph was offered at least one plea deal over the long course of this coming to trial. That deal would have been for seven years incarceration with the Department of Corrections.
“I was very pleased with the jury’s decision,” said Selby, “This was a difficult case for the jury and they obviously took their responsibilities seriously, thoroughly considered the evidence and came to what they believed to be the proper decision. This was also another case that likely may never have gone anywhere if we did not have the Child Advocacy Center and a trained, experienced interviewer, this young girl may never have even been able to talk about the abuse.”
Prosecutor Selby stated that “this was a long ordeal for everyone involved. I really appreciate the patience and support of the victim and her family as we went through this process. There were some things that we could control and some that we couldn’t, but I know that it was hard on them. In the end, however, we put forth the best case that we could which resulted in a successful conviction.”
Smith sentenced to 10 years
In the second sentencing announced this week, 31 year old Cory Smith, formerly of Stone County, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on February 2, with that sentencing upheld after Smith was convicted by a Stone County jury in September 2017.
Smith was found guilty of two counts of first degree child molestation. He had inappropriate contact with two children, ages 9 and 10, while living with the children’s mother in 2012.
According to a press release from Stone County Prosecuting Attorney Selby, the father of the children gained custody of them and the children disclosed to a relative about the abuse about a year later. Following interviews of the children at the Lakes Area Child Advocacy Center, charges were filed in Stone County in November 2015. Smith was first arrested on December 21, 2015 and he was held on $100,000 bond.
Following a change of judge and several legal challenges, Smith went before a Stone County Jury September 6, 2017 through September 8, 2017. The jury found Smith guilty of molesting each of the children.
In subsequent court appearances the defendant claimed that errors had been made during the trial and that he should obtain a new trial. However, those efforts were unsuccessful and at a sentencing hearing on February 2, 2018, the defendant was sentenced to ten years in the Missouri Department of Corrections on each count. The sentences were to run concurrent for a total of ten years.
“This was a difficult case for the jury because, as in so many of these types of cases, there was basically no evidence other than the testimony of the children,” said Stone County Prosecutor, Matt Selby. “It is also very typical that children do not disclose abuse at the time it occurs, but tend to wait until they feel safe or are directly asked about a situation. The jury deliberated for quite a while before reaching their decision.”
Selby also commented on the sentencing stating that he believed “the sentence in this case was appropriate for the situation including the defendant’s background.”
Two men from Stone County have been sentenced to prison on separate child abuse cases, Stone County Prosecuting Attorney Matt Selby announced.
These cases are not related. Both sentences were announced in the past week, however.
Selph sentenced to 30 years
Carl Selph, 44, of Lampe, was convicted by a Barry County jury on four counts of Statutory Sodomy and one count of Child Molestation in November 2017. He was sentenced in January to thirty years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.
The charges were filed in 2013 when a 13 year old girl made allegations that she had been molested by the defendant. Following an investigation by Brian Landreth of the Stone County sheriff’s office, charges were filed. However, due to changes of venue and other matters, the case did not go to trial until late November 2017.
After three days of trial in Barry County, the jury spent around five hours deliberating on the case. They returned five guilty verdicts. Selph was sentenced on January 29, 2018 to the maximum of 30 years. According to a press release from Stone County Prosecuting Attorney Selby, “Lawrence County Associate Circuit Judge, Robert George, who presided over the trial then announced sentence with the defendant getting ten, fifteen and thirty year prison sentences on the various counts, however, all of the terms were to run concurrent for a total of 30 years.”
Online court records indicate that Selph was offered at least one plea deal over the long course of this coming to trial. That deal would have been for seven years incarceration with the Department of Corrections.
“I was very pleased with the jury’s decision,” said Selby, “This was a difficult case for the jury and they obviously took their responsibilities seriously, thoroughly considered the evidence and came to what they believed to be the proper decision. This was also another case that likely may never have gone anywhere if we did not have the Child Advocacy Center and a trained, experienced interviewer, this young girl may never have even been able to talk about the abuse.”
Prosecutor Selby stated that “this was a long ordeal for everyone involved. I really appreciate the patience and support of the victim and her family as we went through this process. There were some things that we could control and some that we couldn’t, but I know that it was hard on them. In the end, however, we put forth the best case that we could which resulted in a successful conviction.”
Smith sentenced to 10 years
In the second sentencing announced this week, 31 year old Cory Smith, formerly of Stone County, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on February 2, with that sentencing upheld after Smith was convicted by a Stone County jury in September 2017.
Smith was found guilty of two counts of first degree child molestation. He had inappropriate contact with two children, ages 9 and 10, while living with the children’s mother in 2012.
According to a press release from Stone County Prosecuting Attorney Selby, the father of the children gained custody of them and the children disclosed to a relative about the abuse about a year later. Following interviews of the children at the Lakes Area Child Advocacy Center, charges were filed in Stone County in November 2015. Smith was first arrested on December 21, 2015 and he was held on $100,000 bond.
Following a change of judge and several legal challenges, Smith went before a Stone County Jury September 6, 2017 through September 8, 2017. The jury found Smith guilty of molesting each of the children.
In subsequent court appearances the defendant claimed that errors had been made during the trial and that he should obtain a new trial. However, those efforts were unsuccessful and at a sentencing hearing on February 2, 2018, the defendant was sentenced to ten years in the Missouri Department of Corrections on each count. The sentences were to run concurrent for a total of ten years.
“This was a difficult case for the jury because, as in so many of these types of cases, there was basically no evidence other than the testimony of the children,” said Stone County Prosecutor, Matt Selby. “It is also very typical that children do not disclose abuse at the time it occurs, but tend to wait until they feel safe or are directly asked about a situation. The jury deliberated for quite a while before reaching their decision.”
Selby also commented on the sentencing stating that he believed “the sentence in this case was appropriate for the situation including the defendant’s background.”