A Buchanan County jury deliberated for a little more than an hour before finding Roger Lee Clark guilty of sexually assaulting a 9-year-old St. Joseph girl.

Mr. Clark, 65, faces a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, with no ceiling for a maximum. His sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 22 at 4 p.m. in front of Circuit Judge Dan Kellogg.

"We appreciate the time and effort of the jury and are pleased with the outcome," said Pam Blevins, the Buchanan County assistant prosecutor who worked the case.

The defendant was charged with statutory sodomy and deviate sexual intercourse with a person less than 14 years. He had already served five years in a Kansas prison for enticing and soliciting a child in 1969.

The victim claims that Mr. Clark, who lived in the same house with the girl at the time, sexually assaulted her three times during July and August of last year. During the third time, the girl said her 8-year-old brother walked in on Mr. Clark and her and tried to stop it, telling him to get off his sister.

Ms. Blevins admitted Wednesday that the case was unique for several reasons. First, it's not often the county has an eyewitness in these types of cases. Secondly, she said, Mr. Clark's defense was bizarre, even by the low standards of sexual assault cases.

"He said he never sexually touched the alleged victim and that he walked in on the brother and sister having sex on three occasions," she said.

Mr. Clark told Ms. Blevins during cross-examination that he put his head between the victim's legs, but did not touch her after walking in on the children.

The jury was composed of eight women and four men. The two-day trial wrapped up Tuesday afternoon, and the jury came back with its decision that evening.

R.J. Cooper can be reached

at rjcooper@npgco.com.