By Tina L. Scott
MMC Staff
LINCOLN COUNTY – A Tomahawk man has been arrested and charged with two felony counts of first degree child sex assault – sexual contact or sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 13, two felony counts of incest with a child and two misdemeanor counts of intimidating a victim to dissuade reporting.
The charges of incest allege Wyatt L. Symonds, 24, had sexual contact with a child he knows he is related to, by blood or adoption, to a degree of kinship closer than second cousin. According to the Complaint filed in the case and probable cause, the alleged incidents happened with two separate victims in 2013, 2014 and 2015 when Symonds would have been 14-17 years old and while he was babysitting for the victims, who were then as young as age five or six and under his care and control.
If convicted, each charge of first degree child sexual assault carries a term of up to 60 years in prison; each charge of incest carries a term of up to 40 years in prison, up to a $100,000.00 fine, or both; and the intimidating a witness charges each carry a term of up to nine months in prison, up to a $10,000.00 fine, or both.
Symonds made an initial appearance in Lincoln County Court on Wednesday, Aug. 24, but that appearance was adjourned to Thursday, Sept. 1 to allow him to obtain an attorney. He is being held on a $100,000.00 cash bond and conditions of no contact with the victims and no contact with anyone under the age of 18 years old.