A Huron man was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday after being found guilty of rape and gross sexual imposition last week by a Delaware County jury.
The trial for Eric J. Bellamy, 38, began on May 16 and concluded on May 19 when the jury returned a guilty verdict for five counts of rape, first-degree felonies; four counts of gross sexual imposition, third-degree felonies; and one count of menacing by stalking, a fourth-degree felony.
Bellamy was in Judge David M. Gormley’s court Tuesday to be sentenced for the charges, which prosecutors said stemmed from Bellamy repeatedly sexually assaulting a child from 2008 to 2010 in Delaware County.
At the hearing, Gormley sentenced Bellamy to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 28 years. Gormley said Bellamy has been classified as a Tier III sex offender.
“While we can’t undo the trauma to this victim, we can make sure this man never offends again,” said Delaware County Prosecutor Melissa Schiffel after the sentencing. “Thank you to Delaware County Sheriff Detective Jaison Kridler for his thorough investigation and efforts to bring this man to justice.”
According to court documents, Bellamy has already served time in this case after he was originally found guilty in 2019. However, an appeal overturned that conviction in 2021 and this new trial was ordered. Gormley ordered that the time served as part of the previous conviction will count towards this sentence.
Bellamy was in the Delaware County Jail Wednesday awaiting transportation to prison.
The prosecutor’s office said Tuesday that if “you suspect a child is being abused, or if a child tells you they are being abused, law enforcement is always there to help,” and relevant parties may also contact Delaware County Job and Family Services at 740-833-2340 to report suspected abuse. The Prosecutor’s Office’s Victim Services Unit is also available at 740-833-2710.
Glenn Battishill can be reached at 740-413-0903 on on Twitter @BattishillDG.
