Opinion ID: 2541719
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: Appellant next takes issue with the sufficiency of the evidence underlying the convictions. Appellant first argues that there was insufficient evidence supporting counts 4 and 5, under which he was convicted of third-degree sodomy. Count 4 charges Appellant with engaging in oral sex with T.R. when she was fourteen years old, and count 5 when she was fifteen years old. Appellant's basis for this argument is unclear. T.R. specifically testified that when she was fourteen years old, oral sex occurred all the time. She further testified that once she turned fifteen, sexual activityboth vaginal and oraltook place daily. Clearly, such victim testimony was sufficient to convict Appellant of these crimes. Appellant next questions the sufficiency of the evidence for the rape convictions under counts 6 and 8. The Commonwealth concedes the insufficiency of evidence to convict Appellant of the rape described in count 6 (May 1981-May 1982) due to the absence of testimony that sexual intercourse had begun by that point. As such, his conviction on that count is reversed. However, as to Appellant's conviction under count 8, for raping T.R. between May 1983 and May 1984, when she was fifteen years old, there was indeed sufficient evidence. Once again, T.R.'s testimony that from the time she turned fifteen, sexual activityboth vaginal and oraloccurred daily, suffices. Appellant also challenges the incest convictions on sufficiency of the evidence grounds. These six convictions relate to the incestual sexual activity engaged in by Appellant from the time T.R. was sixteen until she was 21. Yet again, the Commonwealth met its burden of providing sufficient evidence to support these charges through T.R.'s testimony that from the time she turned fifteen until she left home at age 22, sexual intercourse occurred daily. This testimony was fully sufficient to support the six convictions for incest.