
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, April 5, 1991                   TAG: 9104050511
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

MAN GETS 30 YEARS FOR RAPE, SODOMY

A Southeast Roanoke man was sentenced Thursday in Salem Circuit Court to 30 years in prison for the rape and sodomy of a 13-year-old girl last September.

Judge G.O. Clemens also revoked an eight-year suspended sentence that James Tolbert, 34, had received for a malicious wounding at a Salem nightspot, according to Salem Commonwealth's Attorney Fred King.

Tolbert testified Thursday that he had thought his victim was 16, King said.

Evidence at Tolbert's trial showed that a 16-year-old girl he had been dating introduced Tolbert to his victim Sept. 26 as a peace offering after a fight, King said.

The three drove to Mowles Spring Park, where Tolbert took the victim up a path and raped her and committed sodomy, King said.

Clemens sentenced Tolbert to 20 years for rape and 10 years for sodomy.

by CNB