WINDERMERE, Fla. – The jury in the child abuse trial of Scott Bush, whose case led to the termination of Windermere Police Chief Daniel Saylor, has found him guilty on all counts.
The six-member jury found Bush, 52, guilty of sexual battery, lewd or lascivious molestation and battery. Bush faces life in prison.
The judge in the case announced at 9:15 a.m. Thursday that the jury had reached a decision, which was read at 9:50 p.m.
As he was being led away in handcuffs, Bush looked at his victims and said, "Shame on you girls for lying."
The victims were allowed to speak on Thursday after the verdict was read instead of coming back for the sentencing on Feb. 25.
"I don't want him to do it to anyone else, what he did to me," one of the victims said. "It's hard to go through life feeling different from everyone else and feeling inadequate."
During the trial, prosecutors said Bush threatened his victims and sexually abused girls as young as 10 years old.
Bush took the stand on Wednesday and denied all accusations from the victims, who are now adults.
When asked if he ever had sex with the victims, Bush said no and called it "disgusting." When asked if he ever went into the girls rooms and hugged them or anything, Bush replied, "I've been in their rooms, obviously, while they were in there, but I wasn't hugging them or groping them or anything. I would talk to them and then leave."
Two years ago, the allegations resulted in Saylor's arrest after investigators with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement discovered he stopped a child sex investigation of Bush.
Saylor was fired from his position in 2010 and was later sentenced to one year in jail.
Saylor also testified on Wednesday, downplaying his relationship with Bush.
"People came in to see me on a regular basis," Saylor said. "I was friends with everybody in that town."
Both sides rested on Wednesday, with the jury beginning deliberations.
In closing arguments, prosecutors said Bush would watch the victims shower when they were teens and also described in graphic detail how the victims say they were abused. Bush shook his head as the prosecution made their closing arguments.
Bush argued his victims were lying for personal gain.