La Plata, MD – The 22-year-old Bryans Road man charged with sex abuse of a minor wiped tears from his eyes throughout his sentencing Monday, Sept. 21 before Charles County Circuit Court Judge Helen I. Harrington.

His mother, sitting two rows back in the gallery, wept as well.

In the end, the judge took into consideration steps Vernon Christopher Richardson, 23 of Bryans Road, has taken toward getting counseling on his own following the December 2014 incidents at his sister’s home while babysitting his 5-year-old niece.

Charles County Assistant State’s Attorney Tiffany Campbell told the court back in July that Jan. 5, 2015 the child’s grandparents and parents took the 5-year-old victim to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office after the child indicated that the defendant, “Pulled down her pants and rubbed her vagina.”

The incident allegedly occurred sometime between Dec. 18 and 24, 2014, she said.

“Mr. Richardson is the child’s uncle,” Campbell stated during the July plea hearing. “At the time of the incident he was 21 years old. He resides there. He was called by the victim’s mother and during the conversation he admitted to the act. When later interviewed by the Charles County Sheriff’s Office he admitted to what he had done.”

On Monday, Charles County Assistant State’s Attorney John Stackhouse told Harrington the defendant’s actions have had a rippling effect throughout his family.

“This little girl has done nothing wrong,” Stackhouse said. “It is a shame. It’s horrible to see the effect this has had by his own acts.”

Richardson’s attorney, Edward Olmsted, described his client as a quiet unassuming person.

“He is the last person anyone would have expected this kind of behavior from,” Olmsted said. “He has no criminal history, no juvenile offenses … he doesn’t even have any points on his driver’s license.

“He’s lived a very good life,” he added. “He just made a very bad decision. It was one minute, the consequences he is going to have to live with for the rest of his life.”

“I’m sorry for the pain I’ve caused my family by my actions,” Richardson read from a statement to Harrington. “I shamed myself. I’ve asked God for forgiveness, but I have such a hard time forgiving myself. I want to apologize to my sister. I am so sorry for destroying the closeness we once shared.”

“The little 5-year-old girl certainly has the right to feel protected by her family,” Harrington said. “She also has the right to be an innocent child.”

The judge also said she hopes the child gets appropriate counseling and that this event doesn’t have any lasting impact.

“One thing that is clear is that Mr. Richardson was a victim himself and was bullied as a child,” she added. “Looking at him now, he is certainly remorseful. He’s also taken some steps on his own by getting into counseling. A lot of people don’t accept responsibility. He’s also taken a plea, which will keep his niece from having to come into court and reliving the whole experience over again.

“It’s very, very hard to rebuild trust,” Harrington told the defendant. “Everything going forward with your family will contain some level of mistrust.”

Saying she didn’t think a lengthy jail sentence was appropriate, she sentenced Richardson to 10 years, but suspended all of that sentence but 30 days, to be served in the Charles County Detention Center.

She also ordered five years of supervised probation and that he will be monitored by a sexual offense management team.

He will be required to submit a DNA sample and enroll on the National Sex Offender Registry.

She also ordered a mental health evaluation, told him he is to have no contact with the victim and that he cannot live within proximity to any school or daycare center.

Contact Joseph Norris at joe.norris@thebaynet.com