Benbow

On Thursday, a Marshall County jury found Josiah Benbow, 27, of Melbourne, guilty of second-degree sexual abuse and enticing a minor.

The charges involved the December 2022 sexual abuse of a person who was under the age of 14 at the time. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 21. Second-degree sexual abuse is a Class B felony, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years; and enticing a minor is a Class C felony, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years and a $13,660 fine.

“I am extremely proud and thankful for the hard work, perseverance and professionalism of the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, our team at the Marshall County Attorney’s Office and Assistant Marshall County Attorney Autumn Canny in trying the case,” said Marshall County Attorney Jordan Gaffney. “The crime victim support services provided by ACCESS [Assault Care Center Extending Shelter and Support] have also been an essential part of this prosecution, and I am grateful for their crime victim advocacy and support.”

The case was investigated by the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office.