On Thursday (July 21), a Brevard County Jury convicted Richard STORK (36), on two (2) counts of Sexual Battery on a Child Under 12 (CF), and one (1) count of Lewd or Lacivious Molestation of a Child Under 12 by a Person 18 or Older (LF), for incidents involving a 5-year old child. After a three-day trial with evidence presented by Assistant State Attorneys Nader Hatoum and William Scheiner, the jury deliberated for just over two hours before returning with the guilty verdicts.

 

Circuit Court Judge Tesha Ballou presided over the trial and remanded STORK into custody at the Brevard County Jail until sentencing set for August 4, 2022 at 1:30 pm in Titusville. STORK faces a minimum mandatory sentence of life in state prison.

 

In March of 2019, Titusville Police investigated a report that a five-year old child had revealed to a classmate, who revealed to a school official, that she had been repeatedly assaulted by STORK on multiple occasions. Based on evidence gathered during the investigation along with statements made by STORK admitting to some sexual activity with the victim, he was arrested on March 7, 2019.

 

In a statement after the verdict, ASA Nader Hatoum said, "No child should ever have to endure the nightmare of being repeatedly abused at the hands of an adult. What STORK did was predatory, cruel, and unforgivable. We're incredibly grateful to the jury for believing in this victim and demanding STORK forfeit any possibility of freedom as a consequence."