Russell Massie sentenced to 30 years

Russell Weldon Massie was arrested on June 14, 2017, for multiple counts of sodomy of a victim under the age of 13 and indecent liberties with a child under the age of 15.  The arrest came after a report by a minor relative of Massie’s that Massie had performed oral sex on the minor on several occasions.  Massie was held without bond and a preliminary hearing was held on January 17, 2018, in which all charges were certified to the next term of the grand jury.

The matters were scheduled for a trial in the Amherst County Circuit Court for April 30, 2018.  On April 30, 2018, Massie requested a continuance and a jury trial.  The Court granted the continuance and the cases were set for a jury trial on December 5, 2018.  On the morning of the jury trial, Massie’s attorney approached the Commonwealth and indicated that Massie wished to plead guilty and no longer proceed to trial.  As such, Massie, who was 52 years old at the time, pled guilty to one count of forcible sodomy and was sentenced to an active incarceration of 30 years.  If he is released, he will be on probation for a period of 30 years with the first 5 years to be supervised, he will be required to register with the Virginia State Police Sex Offender Registry, and he shall have no contact with the victim.