Photo by Sam Shawver Matthew Riley sits in the witness stand Wednesday during his trial on charges of rape and gross sexual imposition involving a child under 13 years of age.

MARIETTA — “Not guilty” was the jury’s verdict for Malta resident Matthew C. Riley, 35, whose three-day trial on charges of rape and gross sexual imposition involving a 5- to 7-year-old child ended Wednesday afternoon.

Riley, a former Lowell resident, was called to the witness stand Wednesday morning by defense attorney Rolf Baumgartel who asked the defendant more than once if he had molested or had sexual relations with the alleged victim.

“No, I did not,” Riley answered.

Throughout Wednesday’s proceedings in Washington County Common Pleas Court, Riley maintained his innocence regarding a now 10-year-old’s allegations that he inappropriately touched her on several occasions when she was between the ages of 5 and 7.

The victim, who testified on Tuesday, said the incidents took place over a two-year period when she and her brother and sister would visit Riley at his mobile home on Gun Club Road in Lowell where he resided at the time.

She told the court that Riley would call her inside to take a shower, then he would touch her while she laid on his bed. The girl testified that when she told Riley he was hurting her, the defendant told her to “shut up” and continued touching her.

“I did not tell her to shut up,” Riley told the court Wednesday, and again denied touching the child in any sexual way.

He said the youngster often complained of soreness or a rash in the genital area.

“Did she say it hurt?” asked Baumgartel.

“Yes,” Riley said. “I would tell her to take a shower and afterward she would ask me to put medicine on her.”

He said a towel was spread on his bed for the girl to lie down because the mobile home bathroom was too small.

During an interview with Ginger Davey, a former employee of Washington County Children Services, related to the child’s allegations in 2016, Riley admitted it was possible that slight pressure from applying the ointment could have made the girl believe something was not right.

Asked if he had any sexual thoughts while applying the ointment, Riley said Wednesday he never had such thoughts.

But during questioning by authorities who were investigating the alleged incidents in late 2015 and 2016, Riley did say he had sexual thoughts. He told the court Wednesday that he felt coerced into making that comment.

“They had me believing there was something in my body or mind that was not right,” Riley told Washington County Prosecutor Kevin Rings Wednesday.

Although he repeatedly told them he had done nothing wrong, Riley said the investigators refused to believe it and kept pressing him to admit to having sexual thoughts.

“(They indicated) if I gave them some information I would just receive some counseling or help through family services,” Riley said. “I felt I had no other option, that I had to give them something, and yes, that was a lie.”

Rings asked the defendant if a series of statements made by the 10-year-old victim during Tuesday’s testimony were true.

Riley said they were true, although he denied telling her to “shut up” when she expressed pain during the ointment application.

“One person has changed their story, and that’s you,” Rings said.

But in closing comments to the jury, Baumgartel blamed the investigators for Riley’s false statement about sexual thoughts.

As for the girl’s comment that it hurt when Riley applied the ointment, Baumgartel said it shouldn’t be surprising, as she complained of soreness which required application of the medicinal ointment.

Deliberations began around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday and the jury returned its verdict at 6:35 p.m., according to court officials.