Man acquitted of sex offense involving teenager

By Linda Cicoira

A Delaware man, who frequently stayed at a Chincoteague cabin, was found not guilty Wednesday in Accomack Circuit Court of the sexual battery of a 13-year-old island girl, who has autism. 

Sixty-six-year-old Timothy Charles Landolt, of Great Oak Drive, in Middletown, Delaware, was accused in May of 2019 of inappropriately touching his step-granddaughter.  The charge was filed after the girl mentioned the offense to school workers, who then called the police.

The girl, now 17, testified in a video interview in the court that he had inappropriately touched her. Landolt was one of the girl’s caregivers. He denied the accusation.

After deliberating for around an hour Wednesday, the 12-member jury sent questions to the judge. They wanted to know if they could consider a lesser charge and for an explanation of what entailed “reasonable” doubt. After both the defense and the prosecution argued what the answer should be, the jury was told to reread the instruction regarding the presumption of innocence that was provided to them and to address the charge before them.

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