Florida man guilty in rape of children; Two were victims in sexual assaults.

• Position: LOCAL NEWS

Byline: Gary V. Murray

WORCESTER - A Florida man is scheduled to be sentenced next month after being convicted yesterday of sexually assaulting two children, a boy and a girl.

A Worcester Superior Court jury deliberated for about seven hours before finding 42-year-old Richard Sobol of Deland, Fla., guilty of eight counts of child rape, four counts of indecent assault and battery on a child, two counts of disseminating matter harmful to minors and a morals offense.

Judge Mitchell H. Kaplan allowed a defense motion for a required finding of not guilty on another morals offense charge.

The sexual assaults occurred on various dates from Jan. 1, 2003, to Dec. 31, 2004, in Holden. The male victim was...