VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – A man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexually abusing a minor known to him, according to the Commonwealth’s Attorney for the city of Virginia Beach.
Dennis James Carrier, 49 years old, was sentenced on June 1 in Circuit Court for Aggravated Sexual Battery and Custodial Indecent Liberties.
Carrier was initially found guilty of the charges on May 26, 2015 after the Commonwealth’s evidence proved he sexually abused a minor in June 2014.
The minor reported the behavior to a family member and the Virginia Beach Police Department investigated the claim.
While awaiting initial charges, Carrier was also charged with stalking his victim. As a result of this charge, Carrier was convicted of Stalking with Intent to Cause Fear of Death/Sexual Assault/Injury and received the maximum punishment of 12 months in jail.
Most recently, Judge James C. Lewis sentenced Carrier to 25 years in prison with 15 of those years suspended, leaving 10 years to serve.
The sentence is double what the Virginia State Sentencing Guidelines recommend, which is no more than five years in prison.
