Stephen Craig Ford was found guilty as charged with Sexual Battery, Child Less than 12 Years of Age and Lewd or Lascivious Molestation. The jury returned the guilty
verdict following a three-day trial in Lee County.
An investigation began in October 2020, by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, when a child victim told their friend about a past occurred sex crime committed against them by the defendant. That conversation, during a sports practice, was overheard by a family member of the victim, who told an adult, who contacted a member of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Information gathered during the investigation found that the defendant molested the child multiple times between September 2014 and September 2020 in Lee County. Ford was then arrested for the crimes.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Clark Cary. Sentencing is scheduled for May 22, 2023.
Samantha Syoen – Communications Director, State Attorney’s Office