Sylaart Found Guilty Of Sexual Contact

A former Beadle County employee is found guilty by a jury of sexual contact with a child under 16 years old. Fred Sylaart was found guilty following nearly seven hours of deliberating by a jury made up of six men and six women. During closing arguments, Special Prosecutor Dawn Elshire told jurors the only evidence they had to consider was the word of the victim and that there would be no D-N-A, eyewitnesses or injury to see. She said the 52-year-old rural Cavour man’s actions were wrong and that the victim, a child attending a daycare run by Sylaart’s wife, had no reason to lie. In defense of his client, attorney David Wheeler explained to the jury there was a quote “real possibility” Sylaart didn’t commit the act alleged. Wheeler said the was NO direct proof of contact with the victims genitalia and the contact could have been around that area of the victim. He also said there was no evidence presented of Sylaart’s intentions. Jurors began deliberations around 1:40 PM after hearing evidence Tuesday and Wednesday morning. At one point, jurors sent a note to Judge Tim Tucker indicating they could not come to a unanimous decision, to which Tucker told jurors to follow the instructions he provided before they began. Jurors were served a dinner of hamburgers and fries around six-P-M before sending a notice to the bailiff at 7:35 PM they had reached a verdict. Tucker ordered a pre-sentence investigation and psycho-sexual evaluation be completed before sentencing. Sentencing is tentatively set for October 23^rd, however Tucker expects that date to be continued. Sylaart will remain out of jail as Tucker ordered Sylaart’s bond to continue.