A 12-member jury convicted a 39-year-old Norman man Thursday on three counts associated with child molesting.
Jason Levi Bellamy will be sentenced at 3 p.m. May 16 on two Level 1 felony charges of child molesting and a Level 4 felony charge of sexual misconduct with a minor.
Prosecutor Mark Hollingsworth tried the case for the state. Bellamy was represented by public defender Jeremy Braunstein.
The conviction stems from Bellamy’s arrest April 21, 2017, following an investigation by Indiana State Police Detective Andrew Mitchell.
Police investigated allegations of child molestation that were reported to police by the Jackson County Department of Child Services.
In a November 2016 interview at Children’s Advocacy Center of Southeastern Indiana in Dillsboro, the child said they had been living with a relative in Crothersville when the incident began.
Multiple incidents occurred for months throughout 2016, including sexual intercourse.
The victim told police the sexual interaction with Bellamy became a “daily occurrence” for a couple of months, according to court records.
During an interview with police Dec. 6, 2016, Bellamy denied having any sexual contact or inappropriate interactions with the child and refused to provide a DNA sample or undergo a polygraph.
At the time of his interview, Bellamy was living in Paris, Ohio.
Eight witnesses, including the victim, testified before the jury. Bellamy declined to testify.
Evidence included the victim’s testimony, social media messages and testimony from those who corroborated the accounts the child provided.
Hollingsworth commended the Indiana State Police’s investigation and said he believed justice had been served.
“I’m satisfied with the verdict, but I’m never pleased with the verdict because there’s nothing happy about the circumstances of a case like this,” he said. “It’s a horrible crime that led to having to go to trial, so it’s not a happy moment, but it’s a satisfying moment.”
He said it was important to note that the victim told the truth and the jury recognized that.
A Level 1 felony is punishable between 20 and 40 years with an advisory sentence of 30 years.