Harvey L. Bryant, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Virginia Beach, announced today that Kenyatta Omar Tate, 32 years old, previously residing in the 3300 block of McKenzie Bay Lane in Virginia Beach, Virginia, was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Les L. Lilley on charges of Rape – Victim Under Age 13 and Forcible Sodomy – Victim Under Age 13. Tate was found guilty of these charges by a jury on June 23, 2012. The jury recommended he serve 18 years in prison, and today Judge Lilley imposed that 18-year sentence. He further ordered Tate to remain on three (3) years of supervision upon his release.
The Commonwealth’s evidence proved that around 3:30 p.m. on December 19, 2010, an officer with the Virginia Beach Police Department was driving her police car through a park on Ware Neck Drive in the City of Virginia Beach. She observed two people engaging in sexual activity in a parked car near a soccer field. When she approached the vehicle, she discovered Kenyatta Omar Tate, age 31 at the time of offense, engaging in sexual activity with a 10-year-old victim. The victim was known to Tate. Tate told the officer that they were there to play soccer, although no soccer ball was found during a search of the vehicle.
Detectives with the Virginia Beach Police Department’s Special Victims Unit also responded and further investigated the incident. Tate eventually confessed to having sexual intercourse with the victim and stated that he knew it was wrong. Under Virginia law, a child under the age of 13 cannot consent to engaging in sexual intercourse.
Associate Commonwealth’s Attorney Katherine E. Orsini and Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Elliott DeJarnette prosecuted this case. Please contact Macie Pridgen if additional information is desired.