GREAT FALLS — On Tuesday, September 24, 2024, a jury found Gerard Michael Larson guilty of attempted sexual assault after propositioning a 10 year old girl in Great Falls in 2020.
During the trial, the jury reviewed the forensic interview conducted with the then ten year old victim in 2020, in which she refers to Larson as “Uncle Gerry," and how he would take her and her friends fishing, swimming, and watch them play in the yard.
She described an incident with Larson taking her to his camper after taking her and a friend to the lake to swim, and asking if she wanted him to make her “feel good down there”, rubbing her belly. She then recalls exiting the camper, and Larson apologizing to her later for the incident.
The jury also watched a video of the two hour interrogation detectives conducted with Larson at the time of his arrest in 2020, in which Larson describes the incident as a bad joke and admits to slapping the victim on the belly while repeatedly denying that the actions were sexual in nature.
The jury also heard testimony from the now fourteen year old victim, and from a neighbor who notified law enforcement after witnessing Larson in the area frequently speaking to the victim and her friends from his truck.
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The detectives associated with the case described Larson’s behavior consistent with predatory grooming behaviors.
Larson’s defense argued that the detectives twisted Larson’s words in their interrogation, and that touching the victim’s stomach area does not constitute a sexual act or intent to commit a sexual act.
Larson exercised his Fifth Amendment right not to testify, and after an hour of deliberations the jury reached a verdict of guilty on one count of attempted sexual assault.
After his conviction, Larson’s bail was revoked and he was taken into custody. He faces a minimum sentence of four years.
