Trigger Warning: Child Sexual Abuse

Man Convicted of 15 Felony Child Sexual Abuse Charges

Correction: An earlier version of this announcement said that Mr. Clark pleaded guilty to his charges. He pleaded no contest.

NORFOLK, Va. – Laurence Earl Clark, 51, was convicted of 15 felony charges on Friday after he admitted to sexually abusing a child between 2015 and 2023. The victim came forward to Norfolk Police last year to report Mr. Clark’s abuse despite Mr. Clark threatening to injure and kill the victim.

Mr. Clark pleaded no contest, pursuant to the rule in North Carolina v. Alford, to five counts of aggravated sexual battery of a child, one count of incest with a child, two counts of taking indecent liberties with a child, one count of raping a child, three counts of producing child sexual abuse material, one count of first-offense possessing child sexual abuse material, and two counts of subsequent-offense possessing child abuse material.

In exchange for Mr. Clark’s plea, which spared the victim from having to testify at trial, the Commonwealth agreed to seek a sentence no longer than 30 active years of incarceration. Judge Jamilah D. LeCruise accepted Mr. Clark’s plea agreement, found him guilty, and set his sentencing on Aug. 2.

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Abigail L. Ottinger is prosecuting Mr. Clark’s case on behalf of the Commonwealth, and Norfolk Police Detective Jason E. Myers led the investigation.

If you have or someone you love has fallen victim to crime, including but not limited to child abuse, resources are available at the Norfolk Family Justice Center. For more information, please visit norfolkfjc.org, call 757-330-0376 or stop by the NFJC inside the Park Place Multi-Services Center at 606 W. 29th St., between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays. If you are in crisis, call the 24/7 hotline by dialing 757-251-0144. In an emergency, please call 911.

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