Man indicted in sexual abuse of 4-year-old girl

TUSCUMBIA - A local man is in jail after being indicted for sexually assaulting a 4-year-old Tuscumbia girl, officials said.

Tuscumbia police investigator Sgt. Stuart Setlift said Thomas Ray Vernon, 50, 232 N. Crown St., Florence, was arrested on warrants for first-degree sodomy and first-degree sexual abuse.

Setlift said the indictments were issued by the November Colbert County grand jury.

Reports indicate Vernon and the girl were family acquaintances.

Setlift said the reported abuse is supposed to have happened earlier this year at the girl's residence while Vernon was visiting.

"From what we were able to determine during the investigation, it happened once," Setlift said. "We were contacted by the Colbert County Department of Human Resources on May 29 and began our investigation."

The incident was reported to DHR officials, when the child was questioned by a family member after the family member noticed something unusual on the child's clothing, authorities said.

"When the child was questioned, she told the family member what happened," Setlift said. "She went on to tell them who was responsible for the incident."

Tuscumbia Police Chief Tony Logan called the allegations a "horrible crime."

"He's been accused and indicted; if in fact he is guilty, it is a horrible crime against anyone, but against a 4-year-old child, it's inexcusable," Logan said. "If found guilty, we hope (Vernon) will get the maximum sentence.

"This is something that this little girl will have to live with for the rest of her life and our thoughts and prayers are with her."

Setlift said Vernon was arrested Saturday morning after he turned himself in to authorities at the Colbert County Jail.

"We had been looking for him, but he had been living in different locations in Sheffield, Tuscumbia and Florence," Setlift said. "I was able to get a telephone number for him and I talked with him Friday and he said he was coming in. Then Saturday he showed up."

First-degree sodomy is a Class A felony and is punishable by 10 years to life in prison if convicted. First-degree sexual abuse is a Class C felony and carries a punishment of one to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Vernon is in the Colbert County Jail on bail of $100,000.

Tom Smith can be reached at 256-740-5757 or tom.smith@Times.Daily.com.