Man Faces 77 Years To Life Behind Bars After Being Found Guilty Of Kidnapping, Sexual Assault Of Girl, 14
LANCASTER (CBSLA.com) — A 31-year-old man faces 77 years behind bars after he was found guilty Wednesday of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl as she walked to school.
Deputy District Attorney Keri Knittel said Charles Delshawn James was found guilty of kidnapping for sodomy, attempted sexual penetration by a foreign object, forcible sodomy of a minor, lewd act on a child age 14 and dissuading a witness by force or threat.
The jury, which deliberated for less than two hours, also found true the special allegations of kidnapping a minor and aggravated kidnapping.
James faces a 77-years-to-life sentence at a hearing on June 27 before Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Lisa Chung of the Antelope Valley Branch.
On Dec. 13, 2012, James grabbed the victim by her pony tail and dragged her into some bushes where he sodomized her, according to testimony. During the attack he threatened to kill the girl and her family if she said anything, the prosecutor added.
Forensic evidence led police to James who was arrested in South Carolina days after the attack.
