Jury finds man guilty of sexual battery, incest
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Shelby County man was convicted by a jury on charges of Sexual Battery by an Authority Figure and Incest on Tuesday, according to the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office.
Richard Higgs was found guilty of the charges, which stemmed from an incident in July 2019.
Reports say that Higgs molested a juvenile girl in a bathroom; when a younger girl attempted to intervene by knocking on the door, the older girl managed to escape. He then took the younger girl into the bathroom and raped her.
Alleged home invader accused of sexually abusing 13-year-old girl
The girls told a family member about the incident immediately and the police were called.
According to a press release, the trial came to a close on Friday.
The state presented testimony from 10 witnesses, which included a crisis nurse and a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation serologist.
The jury reached a verdict in less than an hour. Higgs is facing a minimum sentence of 25 years and a maximum of 60 years in prison, served at 100%.
“Testifying against a family member is never easy for victims,” said Special Victims Unit prosecutor Gavin Smith, who served as lead prosecutor on the case. “We’re relieved they received the justice they deserve and hope they can now begin to heal.”
His sentencing is scheduled for July 5.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
