93.3 KWTO Keeping Watch Over the Ozarks
A Springfield man could be spending the rest of his life in prison after being convicted Tuesday of the sexual abuse of three children.
Clinton M. Boyd, 46, was found guilty of two counts of statutory sodomy in the first degree, three counts of child molestation in the first degree, and one count of enticement of a child less than 15 years old.
A jury deliberated approximately two hours before rendering the guilty verdicts.
Boyd was found guilty of abusing a five-year-old relative in 2011, and the 11-year-old and 13-year-old daughters of a friend in 2019. However, testimony showed that the abuse likely took place over several years, 2008 to 2019.
Boyd has a previous convictions in 2004 for statutory rape, which were given five year sentences in state prison. Boyd was initially given probation on the rapes, but had probation revoked in 2005 and was sent to prison for the five year sentence.
Prosecutor Dan Patterson said in a statement the victims had waited to come forward about the crimes because they were made to “promise not to tell.” Patterson said that the majority of child sexual abuse is never brought to police. He cited in a press release a number of reasons for children not coming forward including the fear of not being believed; shame or guilt; and the fear of “breaking up the family.”
Judge David Jones presided over the jury trial and will pass sentence on Boyd at a May 7, 2021 hearing.