Tyrone Washington, a 35-year-old Shreveport man, was convicted in Caddo District Court Wednesday (May 4, 2016) of molestation of a juvenile under the age of 13.

The female victim was 11 years old at the time of the incidents that occurred between 2009 and 2010.

Washington was found guilty less than three hours after the five-man, seven-woman jury retired. The trial began Monday before Caddo District Judge Ramona Emanuel.

The incidents did not come to the attention of officials until October 2014 when a friend of the victim, living in California, spoke to the girl on the phone at her school in Shreveport when Washington visited the school for another reason and the phone went dead. The friend, who had heard about the assaults, called the victim’s mother and told her what had transpired. Washington was arrested on a warrant several days later at his job.

Washington will return to Caddo District Court May 16 to obtain a setting, after which he will be sentenced. The sentencing range is 25 years to 99 years at hard labor. At least 25 years of the sentence must be served without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence.

Caddo Parish Assistant District Attorneys Ed Blewer and Aaron Crawford prosecuted the case while Kurt Goins was defense counsel.