Columbus man charged with sodomy, molestation of 12-year-old

A Columbus man is charged with aggravated sodomy and aggravated molestation after a mid-January incident at a local apartment complex, police testified in Recorder’s Court.

Vernon Anderson, 43, waived his right to appear in Recorder’s Court Wednesday. However, Columbus Police Department Detective Virginia Duncan described the Jan. 15 incident in court using police records.

Officers were notified around 8:30 p.m. of a sexual assault that occurred at an apartment complex on 5600 Hunter Road in Columbus, Duncan said.

Upon arrival, officers discovered that the call was in reference to a 12-year-old female victim who said that she had been molested by a neighbor. They later determined that neighbor to be Anderson, Duncan said.

The victim told police she was walking back home around 6 p.m. from a friend’s apartment in the same complex when Anderson called her over into the stairwell of the building, Duncan testified. The victim told officers she was forced to touch Anderson’s penis before he pulled her pants down and anally penetrated her.

Patrol units later canvassed the area and found Anderson outside.

“Anderson said, ‘I think you’re looking for me’ and we later took him into custody,” Duncan said.

Two of the victim’s friends witnessed the incident. They stepped outside of an apartment to watch the victim walk home and observed Anderson call her over, Duncan said.

Once in police custody, Anderson said he was with the victim, but also said that the victim was with her brother at the time of the incident. Duncan testified that this was contradictory to statements given by the two witnesses.

The victim was later taken to Children’s Tree House for a more in-depth interview. She said that Anderson called into the stairwell for a hug but when she began to walk down the stairs to leave, Anderson grabbed her arm and began the assault, according to Duncan.

Judge Julius Hunter bound the case over to Muscogee Superior Court and did not set a bond due to the nature of the charges. If bond conditions are accepted, Anderson will be ordered to have no contact with the victim or cannot return to the complex where the incident occurred.