KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A man was convicted on Friday after he failed to appear for closing arguments in his trial over accusations that he sexually abused a young girl for around four years.
A warrant for the arrest of Jonathan Young, 31, was issued and his sentencing is set for Oct. 25, according to a release from the District Attorney General's Office. He was convicted of rape, sexual battery by an authority figure and continuous sexual abuse of a child.
Prosecutors said in April 2019, a 16-year-old went to the University of Tennessee Medical Center and said she had been raped by Young. However, prosecutors said she left before being examined after her mother texted her, "telling her to blame someone other than Young."
In a release, prosecutors said she later went to a sexual assault nurse examiner who found DNA matching Young's. The Knoxville Police Department then started investigating the situation, and Childhelp conducted a forensic interview with the 16-year-old. She said there were instances of sexual assault by Young dating back to when she was 12 years old, according to a release.
Young faces a maximum of 12 years in prison for the rape charge and the continuous sexual abuse of a child charge. He also faces six years in prison for the sexual battery by an authority figure charge.
