VERO BEACH, FL — A 78-year-old Vero Beach resident has been convicted on multiple felony charges relating to an extensive child molestation investigation. Following a trial at the Indian River County Courthouse on April 17, a jury found George Frank Bollis Jr. guilty on eight counts of lewd or lascivious molestation involving a suspect over the age of 18 and a victim under the age of 12.
According to court documents, the jury deliberated for nearly four hours before delivering their decision. While convicted on the eight molestation charges, Bollis was found not guilty on six additional counts of sexual battery.
The case dates back to an arrest by local sheriff’s officials in May 2019, when Bollis was 71 years old. The investigation was initiated in January 2019 after a 13-year-old victim disclosed to out-of-state investigators that the abuse had been ongoing since June 2016, starting when the child was just nine years old. Authorities noted that the prolonged abuse included Bollis taking inappropriate photographs of the minor, with at least one documented encounter taking place at his business office.
Assistant State Attorney Brian Workman, who prosecuted the case, confirmed that the State Attorney’s Office intends to seek the maximum penalty at the upcoming sentencing hearing.
Bollis faces a 25-year mandatory minimum and up to life in prison following his conviction. Given Bollis’ age, any significant term will effectively be a life sentence, ensuring he is never again in a position to abuse another child.
Following the delivery of the guilty verdicts, the court immediately revoked Bollis’s bond. He was remanded back to the Indian River County Jail, where he will remain in custody until his final sentencing. The sentencing hearing is scheduled to take place on May 13, presided over by 19th Judicial Circuit Judge Anastasia Norman. Defense attorney Mark Longwell did not respond to requests for comment regarding the trial’s outcome.
