A Marion County jury on Wednesday convicted 61-year-old Terry Franklin Pennington of multiple child-sex offenses after hearing a mix of testimony and forensic evidence. Jurors found him guilty on three counts of lewd and lascivious battery and one count of lewd and lascivious molestation. Deputies took him into custody immediately after the verdict, and he will remain in jail until his sentencing hearing, which is set for July 16, 2026, at 1 p.m. The case centers on allegations involving a 14-year-old victim and an investigation that began last summer.
As reported by the Tampa Free Press, the Department of Children and Families notified the Marion County Sheriff’s Office on July 22, 2025, and Sgt. Larocque of the Special Victims Unit took over the case. Deputies say Pennington supplied the teenager with marijuana before a series of assaults. He was brought in for questioning on August 1, 2025, when investigators collected DNA samples from both the victim and Pennington and sent them to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for analysis. Prosecutors also relied on a recorded Child Protection Team interview conducted at Kimberly’s Center for Child Protection, according to the paper.
Evidence That Swayed Jurors
According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, state crime labs compare DNA taken from evidence to both Florida’s statewide index and the national CODIS system to generate investigative matches. Forensic Child Protection Team interviews are recorded at accredited centers to reduce trauma for victims and preserve a clear account of what they say happened. Local reporting notes that Kimberly’s Center in Ocala provides those interviews for Marion County, as detailed by WUFT.
What’s Next
Pennington will remain behind bars until his sentencing, which is scheduled for July 16, 2026, at 1 p.m., according to the Tampa Free Press. He was taken into custody immediately after the jury returned its verdict and will wait for the judge to decide his punishment at that hearing.
Legal Context
Under Florida law, lewd or lascivious battery and lewd or lascivious molestation criminalize sexual activity involving people under 16 and carry felony penalties that vary depending on the victim’s age and other circumstances. Florida Statute 800.04 sets out the legal definitions and elements prosecutors rely on in these kinds of cases.
Local advocates say recorded interviews and forensic testing are critical to holding offenders accountable while helping limit additional trauma to young victims. Anyone with information about this case, or who needs support, can contact the Marion County Sheriff’s Office at marionso.com or reach out to Kimberly’s Center for Child Protection for services and referrals.
