A federal judge sentenced David Leonard Mayes, 41, to more than 30 years in prison for sexually abusing a nine-year-old handicapped, nonverbal child on a military base. The final sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III after a March 2026 trial in which a federal jury convicted Mayes of aggravated sexual assault of a minor.
The incident occurred at Camp Lejeune while Mayes was visiting the victim’s family. The attack was found when the child’s mother returned home earlier than intended. When the mother found her daughter’s bedroom door closed, she entered the room and discovered Mayes committing the assault. A subsequent inquiry that included DNA testing verified Mayes’ culpability.
Following the court’s decision, Ellis Boyle, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announced the sentence of more than 30 years. Boyle acknowledged the additional pressure the trial put on the victim’s family.
“This monster preyed on the most defenceless nine-year-old imaginable. He used his friendship with her mother to abuse her in disgustingly inhumane ways. Rather than face his horrible crime, he caused additional pain for the family by forcing them to repeat what he did in public at trial. We will always battle to safeguard the warriors at Camp Lejeune, as well as their moms, daughters, sisters, and wives, by stomping out spiders like this. “The Court’s sentence ensures that this spider cannot harm anyone else for 30 years,” stated U.S. Attorney Boyle.
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) oversaw the inquiry into Mayes. Officials indicated that forensic evidence acquired by investigators played a critical role in gaining the conviction in the March trial.
“The overwhelming forensic evidence obtained by NCIS Special Agents left this predator with absolutely no place to hide, ensuring a quick conviction and a 30-year sentence that removes a dangerous threat from the community,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly Parrish of the NCIS Carolinas Field Office. “We have zero tolerance for those who prey on youngsters in the Navy and Marine Corps communities. This case underscores NCIS’s unwavering commitment to uncovering the truth, protecting the vulnerable, and collaborating with the US Attorney’s Office to ensure predators face the full weight of the law.”
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