Oneonta man convicted of child sexual abuse

ONEONTA, Ala. (WBRC) – A 42-year-old Oneonta man has been convicted of sexual abuse of a child under 12 and first-degree sodomy.

A Blount County grand jury indicted Dustin Lamar Peoples in August 2019. He remained out of prison until his trial began this week.

A 10-year-old girl said in March 2019 that Peoples sexually abused her from Aug. 7, 2018, until Christmas of that year.

The child was interviewed within days at the Blount County Children’s Center.

Prosecutors presented evidence that Peoples exposed the child to sexual contact by touching her private parts. They also presented evidence that Peoples forced the girl to perform oral sex on at least four occasions.

Prosecutors say Peoples forced her to perform oral sex on him before he would allow the child to play video games on her gaming console.

Peoples took the stand in his own defense and denied any inappropriate contact with the child. After the verdict was announced, District Judge Greg Reid remanded Peoples to the custody of the Blount County Sheriff’s Department pending sentencing.

“This young lady showed up at the children’s center when she was just 10 years old. She did her best to explain the things that were being done to her in terms that she understood at the time. She was innocent. She didn’t know the common words adults or even teenagers would use to describe what had happened to her. She spoke as a child. As an innocent child. “Dustin Peoples stole this child’s innocence,” said District Attorney Pamela L. Casey.

The case was investigated by Sgt. Ed Hull of the Blount County Sheriff’s Department.

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