Bensalem teen found guilty of sexually assaulting 10 girls

BENSALEM, Pa. (WPVI) -- A Bensalem teen could spend more than 80 years in prison after being convicted late Friday in the rapes and sexual assaults of 10 young girls.

The defense, in closing arguments, tried to say these were consensual sex acts, but the jury disagreed.

After less than four hours of deliberations, the jury found 19-year-old Joshua Benson guilty on all charges for sexually assaulting 10 females, ages 14 to 17 over a two year period.

Benson's trial which began on Monday came to a quick close, with all ten victims testifying they told him to "stop" but that his aggressive sexual attacks persisted.

"The jury clearly believed the testimony of these girls, found the defendant guilty on all charges and ensured that the public would be safe from him and called him what he called himself: a rapist," said Michele Kelly Walsh, Bucks County Chief Prosecutor.

Initially Benson was charged as a juvenile for assaulting five girls when he was a teenager, but he was charged as an adult as more victims stepped forward when he turned 18. They described a horrible crime spree that ranged from April of 2011 to May of 2013.

Back in November Benson's mother gave an exclusive interview to Action News, but she didn't want to be identified after receiving several threats.

She defended her son saying, he too, had been a victim of sexual assault and suffered from depression and other mental issues.

"He's had a lot of heart-wrenching things that happened to him and I want people to know that he's had stuff happen to him too," she said.

That testimony was part of the trial, but prosecutors say everyone is safer now with Benson behind bars.

"Someone who was preying upon teenage girls is now where he needs to be," said Walsh.

Benson attended Bensalem High School when he moved to Pennsylvania from Utah more than three years ago.

Police says he met most of victims through an online dating service, and then violently forced himself on them.

"The girls who testified, all ten of them were extremely courageous," said Walsh.

The prosecutors said all the girls said "No" at some point during the sexual encounters.

Benson never took the stand in his own defense. He will be back in front of the court in 90 days for sentencing.