A Knox County man has received an eighteen-year sentence for the sexual assault of a child which began when she was only twelve years old. Jonathan C. Young, 31, was convicted on multiple counts, including Rape, Sexual Battery by an Authority Figure, and Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child. In the wake of a four-day trial, District Attorney Charme Allen's office confirmed that Judge Scott Green sentenced Young, ensuring his confinement within the walls of the Tennessee Department of Correction.
The harrowing details of the case were brought to light during the September proceeding, where jurors heard that on April 12, 2019, a sixteen-year-old girl reported her rape by Young at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. However, court records revealed, the victim did not stay for an examination due to her mother's coercive texts instructing her to blame an individual other than Young. It wasn't until a later visit to a sexual assault nurse examiner that DNA matching Young was retrieved. A forensic interview at Childhelp confirmed the victim's accounts of continued abuse that had haunted her since she was twelve.
“This victim suffered for years, but hopefully, with the verdict in this case, she can find some measure of peace,” DA Allen stated optimistically post-conviction. The trial was nearly derailed when Young became a fugitive on the last day, prompting Judge Green to issue a warrant for his arrest. Young was subsequently apprehended at a local hospital and has since faced the consequences of his actions, according to the District Attorney Charme Allen's office.
Throughout this emotional and complex trial, the Knoxville Police Department’s investigator, Todd Hardin, played a pivotal role in uncovering the truth, while Assistant Victim Witness Coordinator Leah Graves supported the prosecution team.
