ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Alaska jury has convicted a man of assault and robbery charges for delivering a knockout punch to a then-7-year-old girl when she refused to give up her bike.
Thirty-four-year-old Byron Syvinski of Anchorage was convicted Wednesday of robbery and six counts of assault in the June 2011 incident. He was accused of punching Am-marie Martin in the head. She fell unconscious and he allegedly hit her several more times.
KTUU reports she was in the courtroom to hear the verdict.
Police say Syvinski appeared to be delirious during his arrest. The defense said he was using bath salts, which mimic effects of cocaine and ecstasy but there was no trace of them in his system following the attack.
He faces up to 41 years in prison when he's sentenced Oct. 26.
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