seymourherald.com
http://seymourherald.com/news/2007/jul/30/man-found-guilty-of-raping-9-y/
man found guilty of raping 9-year-old girl
published: July 30 2007 06:04 AM
updated:: July 31 2007 01:47 PM
A Sevier County jury found a man guilty of child rape Friday in the matter of a 9-year-old girl.
It was found that Kevin Gentry raped the young girl numerous times in the summer of 2004 when the child was only nine years old.
Even after Gentry took the stand in his own defense Friday morning, it didn't seem to effect the outcome of the trial.
Gentry has been on trial on the same rape charges last January as that trial ended in a mistrial due to new evidence that surfaced which neither the prosecution nor defense was aware of..
In an attempt to evade conviction, Gentry fled the state after charges were first filed against him in 2005. He allegedly faked his own death to avoid trial by leaving a taped message in Nags Head, N.C., saying he planned to drown himself.
Gentry was arrested in Bennettsville, S.C. by U.S. Marshals. He was found with a 13-year-old girl there.
During the trial, Assistant District Attorney Jeremy Ball stated that Gentry has committed "unspeakable acts."
Brent Horst attorney for the defense claimed that Gentry "is the fall guy," and said his client's accuser is simply trying to deflect her parents' anger.
Accusations were made against Sevier County Sheriff's Detective. Matthew Cubberley that he threatened the mother of Gentry's baby, claiming the state would take the child away if she didn't agree to testify against Gentry.
The victim took the stand Thursday, claiming that Gentry had sex with her on several occasions, and at times inviting the girl he got pregnant to participate.
Even though there was no physical evidence that the child was raped, enough circumstantial evidence existed for the jury to find Gentry guilty.