Walton jury convicts Clermont man accused of molesting a child

WALTON COUNTY, Fla. — A Walton County jury has convicted a Clermont man of molesting a child.

Larry J. Bean was found guilty of lewd and lascivious molestation of a child under the age of 12, State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden has announced.

Madden said the jury deliberated slightly over two hours following the two-day trial. Bean was ordered to be remanded to the custody of the Walton County Sheriff’s Office and ordered a pre-sentence investigation.

According to Madden’s statement, in April 2021, Bean, a visitor to Walton County, spent the evening drinking alcohol at several local establishments. In the early morning hours, Bean reportedly went to spend the night at the home of a longtime family friend.

The family friend allowed Bean to sleep in an empty spare bedroom. During the night, the friend reported being awoken by an eight-year-old child who had been sleeping in a bedroom across from Bean. The child told their parents that a man was in the child’s bed.

The father said he rushed in to find Bean in the child’s bed. The father immediately called the Walton County Sheriff’s Office.

According to the State Attorney’s Office, the child reportedly told law enforcement that Bean had touched the child inappropriately. Following the disclosure, the WCSO notified the Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center and set up a forensic interview where the child.

At the ECCAC, swabs were taken from the victim’s body which were analyzed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). The FDLE said it linked the DNA of Bean to the swabs taken from the victim’s body.

Bean was convicted following a joint effort from the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, CAC, FDLE, and the Office of the State Attorney. Assistant State Attorney Josh Mitchell prosecuted the case.