Kenbridge Child Abductor Gets 10 Years

Submitted Report
KENBRIDGE – Eric Donte Harrison, age 26, of 49 Busy Lane, Kenbridge, Virginia, was sentenced recently to 53 years in prison with 43 years suspended, leaving a sentence of ten years to serve in prison on his convictions of Abduction With Intent to Defile and Use of a Firearm in the Commission of Abduction involving a 12-year-old Kenbridge boy.
Circuit Court Judge S. Anderson Nelson sentenced Harrison after reviewing the presentence report and a psychosexual evaluation, following the agreed upon disposition in the plea agreement.
The suspended portion of Harrison’s sentence will be subject to conditions of good behavior, indefinite supervised probation, warrantless searches and seizures for ten years, possessing no firearms and not knowingly being within 100 feet of firearms, no contact with the victim and his family members, no loitering within 100 feet of schools and day care programs, not being alone with any children under the age of 18 years, and complying with the sex offender requirements.
Clement said the parents of the victim did not want their son to have to testify again as he did in the preliminary hearing. Clement said that he and law enforcement and Victim Director had other concerns about trying the case, and concluded that this was the best result. “We never found a gun even though police searched his home, car, and roadside thoroughly,” said Clement. “If a judge or jury had not found beyond a reasonable doubt that there was a gun used, then all of the charges would have been dismissed. Although unlikely, there is always that risk with a jury, plus the chance of a hung jury if all 12 do not agree unanimously,” he added.
According to Clement, he expected the evidence and testimony to prove the following:
The victim was walking east on Broad Street on his way to the town park on Fifth Avenue when the boy says the man, whom the boy did not know, pulled over in a car just past Slip-In Convenience Store, displayed a handgun, and told him to get into the car. The boy said the man turned right on Fifth Avenue and drove toward South Hill. The boy said the man asked him if he could kiss the boy. The boy jumped out of the car in front of Virginia Marble on the South Hill Road as the vehicle was going about 55 mph.
An eye-witness saw the boy jump out and stopped to assist him, and called 911.
The boy was treated for abrasions and a dislocated collar bone at the South Hill hospital and released that night.
Kenbridge Police Lt. Tyler Anderson was the lead investigator for the offense and was assisted by Chief Raymond Hite, Lunenburg Sheriff’s deputies and Victoria Police Officer Greg Wallace.
Police were able to identify and locate Harrison as the perpetrator within two hours, crediting the quick response to obtaining a surveillance video from a local store and having a bystander able to recognize Harrison in a photo printed out from the video and tell the police where he lived on Busy Lane. When police arrived at the home, they found Harrison sitting on the porch and the vehicle, an early 2000 model Chevy Blazer, black and tan in color, and as had been described by the boy.
Harrison admitted picking up the child, but denied using a handgun. He said he was going to take the boy to a thrift store near the pellet company at the intersection of the South Hill Road and Switchback Road.
Anderson obtained a search warrant for the house to look for the handgun. Harrison’s car and house were searched, but no gun was found. He also checked the roadside between the location where Harrison turned his car around just past Virginia Marble and his home about three miles in distance.
Other factors taken into consideration to reach the plea agreement according to Clement were the followng:
Defendant has never had any other criminal charges in his life.
The defendant was found to be mentally incompetent to stand trial by Crossroads Services staff on January 16, 2018, but was restored to competency on or about February 20, 2018 at Central State Hospital. He denied any mental health problems or treatment. Records indicate that he was treated at Poplar Springs Hospital in 2013 related to hallucinations. He was reportedly diagnosed with mental health conditions including Psychosis Not Otherwise Specified at that time. He received some outpatient treatment, but was often non-compliant. He was not diagnosed with a psychiatric condition on his admission to Central State. Defendant tested to be of average intellectual functioning and not experiencing any acute mental health conditions.
The defendant reported that he graduated from high school and had some community college experience. He denied any history of special education services.
The defendant reported that he has worked at Walmart, Subway, and Jones Apparel. He also had some employment in construction. He said he last worked a few years ago. He said he has no history of disability services.
The defendant reported having seizures starting in 2017, and that his last seizure was in 2017. He denies that he was prescribed any medications to treat this condition. He did not report any other physical health concerns.
According to his DMV report, Harrison’s address was 392 Circle Dr., Lawrenceville, Virginia in 2016, but changed to 49 Busy Lane, Kenbridge where he lived with his mother.