Man cleared of raping Fishersville woman but convicted of sexual assault

STAUNTON — A man facing a rape allegation in Augusta County saw the charge go by the wayside last week, but he was still convicted of aggravated sexual battery.

Lee Roy Minter Jr., 49, of Goshen, was sentenced to nearly two years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman in January.

Augusta County Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Lorna Hilliard said on Jan. 5 that Minter, who knew the victim, showed up at the woman's Fishersville apartment as she was readying to leave for work. Hilliard said Minter asked the woman to have sex, but when she refused he sexually assaulted her.

Four days later, Minter was charged with rape, abduction and aggravated sexual battery, court records show.

On Wednesday in Augusta County Circuit Court, the charges of rape and abduction were not prosecuted. In a plea agreement, Minter pleaded guilty to the charge of aggravated sexual battery.

Hilliard said it is often difficult to try rape cases because there are typically no witnesses other than the victim, and said defense attorneys will go after the victim while testifying. "The victim ends up being the one who is scrutinized and kind of torn apart on the stand at a trial," the prosecutor said.

Hilliard said that's why negotiations sometimes take place. "When there's nobody else who saw what happened, we end up having to negotiate to get the best outcome we have by agreement rather than putting the victim through a grueling trial," she said.

Hilliard also noted it can sometimes be risky to take a rape case to a jury. "At the end of the day, a jury might not know what to do and might not even convict," she said. "And it's so damaging for victims to sit there and hear that 'not guilty' verdict when they very much know what happened."

Hilliard said the victim in this case consented to the plea agreement.

Minter was sentenced to 20 years in prison with 18 years and four months suspended, giving him one year and eight months behind bars. He will also be placed on probation for five years when released from incarceration.

Minter will be registered as a sex offender, and a lifetime protective order was issued. "Which is necessary to protect the health and safety of the victim," Circuit Judge Sean Workowski said.

Defense attorney William Little II said in court that Minter, who had no prior criminal record before his conviction, "has accepted responsibility for his actions."

Minter, who appeared via video monitoring from Middle River Regional Jail in Verona, declined comment when given the opportunity.

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Brad Zinn is the cops, courts and breaking news reporter at The News Leader. Have a news tip? Or something that needs investigating? You can email reporter Brad Zinn (he/him) at bzinn@newsleader.com. You can also follow him on X (formerly Twitter).

This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Man cleared of raping Fishersville woman but convicted of sexual assault