A Belmont County man was tried and convicted of rape recently, even though the victim in the case was consenting.
But she wasn’t old enough to consent.
She was 12-years-old at the time, and she and two friends went to a party in a St. Clairsville hotel room where adult males took advantage of the situation.
One of those men, 22-year-old Montrell Leslie Black, has been found guilty and is now awaiting sentencing.
“Well, it’s heinous from my perspective that it’s a 12-year-old child that went to this room. And I understand she went consensually and voluntarily with her two friends. But the fact that these guys would take advantage of a 12-year-old child, yes, that’s reprehensible in my mind,” said Prosecutor Dan Fry.
Black is set to be sentenced Thursday, November 5th.
He could face ten years in prison to life without parole.
