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A guilty verdict was returned on seven counts tied to the molestation of a female less than 12 years old. Joseph Bennett of Ramona was on trial in the Washington County Courthouse this week. Life sentences without the possibility of parole were the punishment for five of the seven counts.

Bennett was previously convicted on five counts of lewd molestation stemming from a 2005 incident that involved three minor children. Bennett has also been charged with rape and unlawful cohabitation with a minor child. Both of those cases were dismissed.

Because of his previous conviction Bennett is sanctioned to life in prison automatically on a second conviction. Assistant district attorney Will Drake was the prosecutor for the case and had this to say about the verdict.

Just one count against Bennett was dismissed. The jury did recommend the maximum sentence on all seven other counts.