Following trial delays, a Buhl man has been convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old in his home on multiple occasions.

On Wednesday, a St. Louis County jury found Michael Alvin Wesala, 43, guilty of two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct.

According to trial evidence, Wesala touched the 14-year-old in his Buhl home multiple times between September 2016 and January 2017. The victim’s mother first reported the incident to law enforcement, and Wesala was charged in September 2019.

While the trial was delayed multiple times, the victim did ultimately testify, according to the St. Louis County Attorney’s Office.

"The sexual assault of a child, especially by someone they knew and trusted, is a devastating betrayal," St. Louis County Attorney Kim Maki said in a statement.

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