A Clinton County jury has found a local man, Christopher Thrasher, guilty on 22 separate counts of Possession of Matter Portraying a Sexual Performance by a Minor Less Than 12 Years of Age. A total 22 year sentence was recommended by the local jurors.
The case involving the defendant has been ongoing for the past two years, with previous trial dates delayed in Clinton Circuit Court. However, the case was eventually brought before a jury for a two-day proceeding last Monday and Tuesday, August 21-22.
Thrasher was arrested almost two years ago, and in December of 2021 was indicted by a Clinton County Grand Jury on some 152 counts of the above referenced charges.
The defendant, who was arrested at his home in November 2021 by KSP Trooper (now Detective) Jason Warinner, was also charged with sexual abuse 1st degree and rape 1st degree, both counts involving a victim under 12 years of age.
In April of this year, following several pretrial conference dates and other proceedings, during a motion to set a trial date, Circuit Judge David L. Williams scheduled the trial for last week in Clinton Circuit Court.
The defendant was tried on the 22 counts of Possession of Matter Portraying a Sexual Performance by a Minor Under 12 Years of Age.
After the prosecution and defense had presented their cases to the jury, the 12 panel body was given jury instruction by Judge Williams and after deliberations on Tuesday, August 22, found Thrasher guilty on all counts.
The jury’s unanimous decision was a five year sentence on each count. However, they were given three options for total years, including the defendant serving the sentences concurrently for all counts (one through 22), for five years; consecutively–one after the other), which would have been 110 years, or the one chosen by the jury which states:
“We find that the punishments for the Defendant under Charge No. 1 through No. 22 shall be served concurrently (at the same time)  and consecutively (one after another) ‘in part’ for a total of 22 years…’”
Judge Williams has scheduled a sentencing date for November.
The defendant, who is incarcerated in the Russell County Detention Center, also has another case pending, but no other trial dates have been scheduled at this time.
According to court records during the pretrial conference held in April, Thrasher was being defended by a private attorney  and the case was prosecuted by 40th Judicial Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Matthew Leveridge.