GUILFORD – A teen tried as an adult and convicted by a jury of committing sex crimes against a 12-year-old girl was given the maximum sentence behind closed doors in Guilford Town Court Thursday.

In a one-day public trial held in Guilford Court in February, a jury of six convicted 18-year-old Ryan A. Macpherson of 11 misdemeanor sex crimes after 45 minutes of deliberations.

According to Assistant District Attorney Michael D. Ferrarese, the crimes involved non-consensual intercourse and molestation between September 2009 and February 2010, when Macpherson was 16.

When Macpherson was arrested by the New York State Police in May, he was charged with third degree incest, a felony, and sexual misconduct – but those charges were later replaced by other misdemeanor charges.

Ferrarese said the incidents occurred when the victim’s and defendant’s families visited one another and the victim and Macpherson were left alone.

He said police began investigating the crimes after the 12-year-old victim sought suicide counseling and disclosed the incidents in a sexual assault questionnaire.

Last night, Guilford Justice Joan Kline ordered the public out of the courtroom at the request of Defense Attorney Thomas Kline, including family members attending on behalf of the victim and defendant. The defense attorney and judge are not related.