Lauderdale County man sentenced to 30 years in child sex abuse case

Feb. 5--A Lauderdale County man was sentenced on Wednesday to 30 years in prison in a sex abuse case, court officials announced in a news release.

A jury convicted Dex Hunter Stone, 31, of sexual battery involving a child under 10, according to District Attorney Kassie Coleman. Stone, who will serve his sentence without the possibility of probation, parole, or early release, must also register as a sex offender. He was charged in the case in February 2013.

The Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department investigated the case and authorities made arrangements for a forensic interview of the child to be conducted by the Wesley House, the release said.

"It took great courage for this child to face the defendant and to tell the jury about the abuse he suffered," Coleman said in the release. "His testimony, along with the dedicated work of the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department and the Wesley House provided the jury with the evidence they needed to return a verdict of guilty and has allowed us to remove a child predator from our streets."

The case was prosecuted by Coleman and Assistant District Attorney Leslie Roussell. Stone was represented by J. Stewart Parrish.

Authorities said Stone was convicted last January for the lustful touching of a different child and was sentenced to four years in that case. The sentence handed down Wednesday will run consecutive to that sentence.

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