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Larned man found guilty of child sex offenses Friday
Justin Hammond Larned mugshot

LARNED — A Larned man was found guilty on several counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child following a five-day jury trial ending Friday in Pawnee County District Court.

Pawnee County Attorney Douglas McNett said that Justin W. Hammond, 39, had been charged with nine sexual offenses stemming from a Kansas Bureau of Investigation referral from the Pawnee County Sheriff. The crimes were alleged to have occurred in Pawnee County between July 8 and Dec. 15, 2018.

The jury composed of 10 men and two women deliberated for approximately four hours Friday before returning guilty verdicts on four counts of sexual intercourse with a child 14-15 years of age and one count of lewd fondling of a child 14-15 years of age.

Hammond was found not guilty on a remaining count of sexual intercourse, two counts of lewd fondling and one count of oral sodomy.

McNett noted that Hammond testified on his own behalf at trial. McNett presented the state’s case; Hammond was represented by Jonathon McConnell, Wichita.

Following the reading of the verdicts, Pawnee County District Judge Bruce Gatterman advised Hammond of his duty to register as a sex offender under the Kansas Offender Registration Act and remanded him to the custody of the Pawnee County Sheriff.

Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. Under Kansas sentencing guidelines, Hammond faces a presumptive prison sentence of between 59 and 247 months with the Kansas Department of Corrections, depending on his criminal history.