Man guilty in sex assault on girl, 13

Faces10 years in prison for incident

Friday, July 4, 2008

Quinton Clarence Stith, 22, will face 10 years in prison, according to the terms of the plea agreement between the defense attorney and Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office. The sentencing judge will be free to impose additional suspended prison time.

Stith was charged with nine counts including two counts of second-degree rape, second-degree sex offense by force and sodomy, according to Charles County Circuit Court records. He pleaded guilty to second-degree sex offense to a person younger than 14 while being more than four years older.

The 13-year-old said last Feb. 11 after school, she went to use the computer at a house where Stith was staying, Deputy State’s Attorney Jerome R. Spencer told the court. She said while she was on the computer, Stith made advances to her, Spencer said. The girl told Stith to stop, but said that he took her to a loveseat and sexually assaulted her, according to Spencer. A hospital examination of the girl found injuries that supported her story, Spencer said.

Stith claims the intercourse was consensual, according to his attorney William Renahan.

Spencer delayed sentencing to July 14 so the girl’s mother could attend the hearing, and Judge Robert C. Nalley complied with his request.