10th Circuit Solicitor’s Office Announces Sentences In Neglect Of A Vulnerable Adult Trial
(Seneca, SC)————The 10th Circuit Solicitor’s Office announced last last week that Veronica Bryant pled guilty in General Sessions Court to Abuse of a Vulnerable Adult Resulting in Death and Possession with Intent To Distribute Methamphetamine in Anderson County.
Bryant was sentenced by Judge Cordell Maddox to 30 years suspended to 15 years in jail and five years of Probation on the Vulnerable Adult charge and to the maximum sentence of 15 years on the drug charge. Jesse Long, the co-defendant, was sentenced to seven years suspended to 40 months in jail and five years of probation on a charge of Abuse of a Vulnerable Adult Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.
According to a release from the Solicitor’s Office, Bryant and Long lived rent free with the 96 year old victim for approximately 18 months prior to her death and were tasked with taking care of the victim because she was confined to a wheelchair and could not take care of herself.
The cause of the death of the victim, according to the release, was sepsis from a pressure sore that developed on the victim. On the date of death, the defendants discovered the victim dead at 3am, however, the victim was not moved until DSS caseworkers and Law Enforcement arrived at 9am the next morning.
The defendants also admitted to using drugs in the house while they were supposed to be taking care of the victim.