After four days of trial and two days of deliberation, the jury in the Johnathan Jessie McKinney trial reached its verdict late Tuesday afternoon.
McKinney was charged with 23 counts of child sexual abuse, including statutory rape, indecent liberties with a minor, felony child abuse and first-degree child abuse. The jury found the defendant guilty on all but four counts, landing him a sentence of 50 years in prison.
The charges stem from allegations made by three underage girls in Transylvania County that McKinney had sexually assaulted them as far back as 2013. In April of this year McKinney, a resident of Henderson County, was arrested and formally charged in early May.
As the multiple verdicts were read in the Transylvania County courtroom, one of the victims broke down in tears. The first of the many verdicts came back “not guilty” for first-degree child abuse.
Victims' families held their breath, as the family of Johnathan McKinney appeared to grasp at some possible hope.
Then came the first guilty verdict, for taking indecent liberties with underage children. And suddenly, the few not-guilty verdicts quickly gave way to an avalanche of decisions finding the defendant guilty of crime after crime.
In the courtroom, McKinney’s girlfriend and father both broke down in tears, as the judge sentenced McKinney to 50 years in prison.
STORY COURTESY OF ABC 13 WLOSHenderson County man sentenced to 50 years in prison for child sex crimes | WLOS
