UPDATE -- Sylvester Latham has been found guilty of first degree rape. The jury recommended 25 years. Latham was found not guilty of forcible sodomy.
The trial has started for a man accused of molesting a Tulsa child nearly 23 years ago.Sylvester Latham aka Williams, 58, was charged with First-Degree Rape and Forcible Sodomy in January 1988 for molesting his then girlfriend’s 10-year-old daughter in December 1987.
FOX23's Abbie Alford was in the courtroom during opening statements when Assistant District Attorney, Meredith Stanton, told the jury Latham raped the girl and when victim threatened to tell her mom he fled.
He wasn’t found until October 2009.
The victim’s brother was working at Enterprise Rental in Wichita Kansas when he recognized Latham’s sister who rented a car from the business. He testified the sister told him where Latham lived and he called authorities.
The victim is now 33-years-old and lives out of state. She took the stand today and testified Latham started molesting her during the first week he moved into their house when she was five-years-old.
Prosecutors say when he raped her he told her that she shouldn’t tell her mommy because it would ruin Christmas.
His defense attorney Brian Rayl says Latham does not have a felony record, did not runaway and has not molested children.
