After at least five hours of deliberations, a Hopkins County jury Thursday night, Oct. 17, found 53-year-old Johnny Ray Conley (mugshot not available arrest occurred in Delta County) since arrest of Cooper guilty on all four cases of aggravated sexual assault of a child charges, according to reports.
Conley was taken into custody at Hopkins County Courthouse about 8:30 p.m. Thursday, and booked into Hopkins County jail, according to arrest reports. The sentencing phase of the trial is scheduled to resume late Friday morning, Oct. 18.
The offenses were alleged to have occurred in or around Aug. 1, Sept. 1, Oct. 1 and Nov. 1, 2001, when the alleged victim was 7-8 years old, in Delta County.
The trial was moved to Hopkins County, with jury selection on Monday in the 8th Judicial District Court in Sulphur Springs. The trial got under way on Tuesday morning.
Assistant District Attorney Matt Harris is the lead prosecutor on the case, assisted by ADA Jodi Cox. Prosecutors wrapped up their witnesses and rested on Wednesday. Defense attorney Michael Mosher presented witnesses on Thursday morning. Both gave closing arguments when court resumed after lunch Thursday. The jury began deliberating around 3 p.m. and Conley was taken into custody about 8:30 p.m. Oct. 17.
