Jessie Eugene Hurst, 71, was sentenced to 60 years in prison in Tennessee for sexually assaulting three children, including three counts of Rape of a Child. Hurst claimed "to the best of his knowledge" that he did not molest the victims, but the jury found him guilty on all charges, according to the District Attorney General's Office
The assaults began in 2015 and involved multiple victims over several years, with the first victim being eleven years old at the time. District Attorney Charme Allen stated, "Three brave victims came forward to hold their abuser accountable and ensure that no other children can be harmed by this offender," noting the significance of the convictions, as reported by the District Attorney General's Office.
A two-day trial in August involved prosecutors Heather Ens and Teddy Ryan presenting evidence in a case where two children, ages twelve and thirteen, were assaulted. Detective Vanessa Nieves led the investigation, with support from Leah Graves and Erin Morrison. The defendant is charged with Rape of a Child, a Class A felony in Tennessee with a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison and no parole. Questions can be directed to Sean McDermott at the Knox County DA’s office, as stated by the District Attorney General's Office.
