Lakeland man convicted of 2016 rape faces possible 30-year prison sentence
Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office
LAKELAND, Fla. - It took a jury 20 minutes Wednesday to convict Robert Ray Bryant Jr., now 42, of raping a 20-year-old woman at a Lakeland home in 2016. Bryant faces up to 30 years in prison following the conviction of sexual battery on a physically helpless person.
Assistant State Attorney Josephine Colon prosecuted the case. She said Bryant raped the victim while she was asleep on a couch after the victim, Bryant and other family members returned home from a party.
Colon told jurors that the victim woke up with Bryant on top of her. She yelled and rushed to a family member’s room to tell them what had occurred.
The victim’s mother drove her to the hospital where an exam was conducted. Investigators were called to the hospital, charges were filed and a warrant was issued for Bryant’s arrest.
Bryant denied the charges, claiming that the action was consensual.
Circuit Judge Michael McDaniel is scheduled to sentence Bryant on April 17.