MARION COUNTY, Fla. — A 61-year-old man was found guilty this week of child sex offense charges in Marion County, according to the State Attorney’s Office for the Fifth Judicial Circuit.
A jury found Terry Franklin Pennington guilty Wednesday of three counts of lewd and lascivious battery of a child 12 years of age but less than 16 years of age and one count of lewd and lascivious molestation of a child 12 years of age but less than 16 years of age.
Pennington was taken into custody after the verdict.
His sentencing hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. July 16.
According to prosecutors, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office received a report from the Department of Children and Families on July 22, 2025, involving a sexual offense against a juvenile victim.
Investigators said the 14-year-old victim told authorities Pennington sexually abused the child over the course of a month.
Prosecutors said Pennington supplied marijuana to the child before the abuse.
The child later completed a forensic interview at Kimberly’s Center for Child Protection, where prosecutors said the child described multiple incidents and provided information that supported evidence collected in the case.
Investigators interviewed Pennington on Aug. 1, 2025.
Prosecutors said Pennington confirmed several facts the child disclosed during the forensic interview but denied having sexual intercourse with the child.
DNA evidence collected from the victim and Pennington was submitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for analysis.
Prosecutors said the lab report confirmed DNA collected from the victim matched Pennington’s DNA.
Assistant State Attorneys Madison Kirkland and Madison Bryan prosecuted the case.
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