Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

NATCHEZ — As opening statements in his trial were set to begin on Wednesday in Sixth District Circuit Court in Natchez, accused child molester Norvill Harold Box III, 43, chose to accept a plea for touching a child for lustful purposes.

“There was no plea deal,” said Sixth District Attorney Shameca Collins Thursday morning. “He received the maximum penalty. It is still a conviction.”

She said the jury in the trial had been seated and his trial was moments away from beginning Box chose to not continue with the trial.

However, Box did not admit his guilt of the crimes, Collins said.

Circuit Court Judge Carmen Drake sentenced box to 15 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

Box was accused of molesting a 6-year-old girl, Collins said. He was indicted in November 2019, before Collins took office.

“The mother of the minor child filed a report with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office after her daughter told her that Box was touching her in places that she should not be touched. The child went on to state that Box did numerous other inappropriate sexual acts to her.

“I want to thank the mother of this child for believing in her daughter and making a report. These types of crimes are not always reported. It is time for us to talk about what’s happening to children instead of sweeping it under the run. Sexual acts should not be performed on minor children, period,” Collins said.