BLOOMFIELD — A “predatory sex offender” faces five life sentences in prison following a guilty verdict Tuesday by a Stoddard County jury.
Jerry Michael Pierce of Dexter was found guilty of four counts of statutory sodomy in the first degree, one count of statutory rape in the first degree and one count of child molestation in the second degree, according to a press release from Russ Oliver, Stoddard County prosecuting attorney.
The jury found Pierce to be a predatory offender because of a prior offense against a child in 1983, Oliver said. The prior offense was not prosecuted, he said.
Pierce is scheduled to be sentenced May 23 before Judge Robert N. Mayer. Because the jury found Pierce to be a predatory sexual offender, Oliver explained that on five of the counts he is statutorily mandated to receive life sentences for each of those five counts. He faces an additional 15 years for the remaining count.
The case was investigated by the Dexter Police Department and involved multiple children over the course of several years, but no further details were provided by the prosecutor’s office regarding the crimes for which Pierce was convicted, including a time frame or location.
“Due to the sensitive nature of the crime and to protect the identity of the victims, no further details will be released by the Office of the Prosecutor,” Oliver said.
Oliver thanked the witnesses and jury for their participation in the prosecution of Pierce.
“I am so proud of the brave victims in this case for standing up to this predator,” he said. “There are no winners in cases like this. Multiple children have suffered greatly at the hands of the defendant for years.
“These cases are excruciatingly difficult to try, emotionally taxing on everyone involved, and painful for victims to relive as they tell of the abuse they have suffered.
“But we do those difficult things to bring justice and closure to the victims, to ensure that no other children suffer at the hands of the defendant and to protect the families of our community.”
The verdict ensures Pierce will never take another free step and will spend the remainder of his life in prison, Oliver said.
The community owes a debt to the jurors who listened to the “horrific evidence” over the course of the two-day trial, he continued.
“I would also like to thank the local Child Advocacy Centers who provided support and counseling for the children as well as the families of the victims who stood by them in this difficult journey,” Oliver said. “Additionally, Detective Eddie Holloway and the entire Dexter Police Department did an exceptional job investigating this case.”