A Cayuga County jury on Thursday found an Auburn man guilty of sexually abusing a child.

Elwood Raymond, 27, of 41 Park St., was convicted of one felony count of first-degree sexual abuse and one misdemeanor count of endangering the welfare of a child. Raymond was indicted May 10 on two counts of each felony after he was accused of abusing two children in the town of Niles in February.

Two of the charges were dismissed before they went to the jury because the evidence was not sufficient to sustain them, according to Norman Chirco, Raymond's attorney.

The jury, which consisted of nine women and three men, began deliberations at 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, was sent home for the night at 5:30 p.m., and then returned the verdict at 9:30 a.m. Thursday.

Assistant District Attorney Charles Thomas, who prosecuted the case, said the conviction was based on the testimonies of three people: the 5-year-old victim, her mother and a New York State Police investigator who obtained a statement from the defendant.

The victim testified in court that Raymond had touched “her sexual parts,” according a statement released by the district attorney's office.

Thomas said that it can be difficult to get a young victim to testify in a case like this.

“Imagine being a 5- or 6-year-old in a courtroom, and having to testify while you look at someone who did something to you,” Thomas said.

Raymond testified on his own behalf and claimed that the statement did not accurately portray what he told the investigator, Thomas said. Raymond's father also testified on his behalf.

Chirco said that any time a case goes to trial, it is hard to predict how it will turn out.

“In this case, 12 people made a decision to convict on two counts,” he said. “That is how our system works.”

Raymond's sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 24, 2008. He faces up to seven years in prison.