Bradford Man Faces
Sex Abuse Charges

On July 2, Philip Garland, 51, pleaded innocent in Orange County Court to two felony charges of lewd and lascivious conduct with a child, second offense, and aggravated sexual assault against a victim less than 10 years old.

Garland, who is living in Bradford, was released on parole last November after serving four years of a three to five year sentence for lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor and sexual assault of a victim less than 16 years of age.

The current charges stem from events allegedly occurring between 1996 and 1999 in Randolph, involving a male juvenile between the ages of five and eight. The boy, now 16, stated that he "tries to keep those memories locked up," but Garland's recent release prompted them to surface.

According to an affidavit filed in Orange County Court, in a June 3 interview with Detective Trooper Brian Berry of the Vermont State Police in Royalton, Garland acknowledged that he is an alcoholic and drank very frequently at the time.

"Garland advised that he would often black out several times in the course of a week due to drinking too much … There was never a day where he didn't go through a case of beer or a half gallon or a gallon of Jack Daniels."

Garland stated, according to Berry, that "if [the alleged victim] says it happened, then it probably happened." He stated that he probably blacked out and could not remember the abuses.

According to the alleged victim, however, Garland was not drinking during the incidents. Garland's previous convictions include disorderly conduct, attempt to elude a law enforcement officer, and domestic abuse (in March 2001).

He was earlier accused of molesting children in June 1997 but after investigation, the "allegations were unsubstantiated," court records say.

Included in Garland's 2003 sentence is lifetime sex offender registry; however, he does not appear on the state registry.

Lewd and lascivious conduct, second offense, can carry a sentence of five years to life and/or a $25,000 fine; Garland's aggravated sexual assault charge can carry a life sentence and/or $50,000 fine.