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Spradling v. State

Evidence of the defendant's prior conviction in California was admissible as a similar transaction.

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Following a jury trial, Phillip Clayton Spradling was convicted on one count of aggravated sexual battery, one count of aggravated sodomy, four counts of child molestation, and two counts of enticing a child for indecent purposes. His sole contention on appeal is that the trial court erred by admitting similar-transaction evidence. We disagree and affirm. Construed in the light most favorable to the jury’s verdict,1 the evidence shows that in September 2008, Spradling lured 12-year-old C. W. and 9-year-old C. H. to his house under the guise that he was acting at the direction of C. W.’s mother.2 After the boys arrived at Spradling’s home and discovered that C. W.’s mother was not there, they asked Spradling to return them to C. W.’s grandmother, but Spradling refused to do so. Instead, Spradling coerced the boys into drinking beer, smoking cigarettes, and running around the house naked. As the night progressed, Spradling rubbed lotion on the children’s naked bodies, while fondling each boy’s buttocks and anus. The children resisted Spradling’s efforts, but he proceeded undeterred. At some point, Spradling also placed C. H. on his lap and grabbed the boy’s privates. Spradling then threatened the boys with physical harm if they told anyone what he had done.

Despite Spradling’s threats, the children reported his actions to their respective mothers. C. H. also reported that Spradling abused him on a previous occasion, when Spradling penetrated C. H.’s anus with both his penis and finger.

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