Jury Convicts Rep. Reynolds of Sex Charges
U.S. Rep. Mel Reynolds was convicted Tuesday of having sex with a former campaign worker while she was underage, then trying to thwart the investigation.
The Illinois Democrat sat expressionless as the verdict--guilty on all counts--was read.
Reynolds had testified that he never had sex with campaign volunteer Beverly Heard and only fantasized about it over the phone. The black congressman has said he is the target of a racially biased, politically motivated prosecution.
Reynolds was accused of having sex with Heard beginning when she was 16.
He was convicted on charges of sexual assault, sexual abuse, child pornography and obstruction of justice. The most serious charge, sexual assault, carries a mandatory sentence of at least four years.
Defense attorney Ed Genson described Reynolds as the victim of a disturbed teen-ager who tried to use telephone sex to extort money from him.
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