Fayetteville Man Sentenced to 150-210 Years for Child Sex Crimes

A Fayetteville man, Dennis Jerel Sullivan, has been handed a lengthy prison sentence following his conviction on multiple sex crime charges involving a juvenile victim. On September 26, 2025, the 41-year-old was found guilty in Cumberland County Superior Court and subsequently sentenced to 150 to 210 years in prison by Superior Court Judge R. Hicks.

The case originated on March 30, 2024, when a juvenile victim at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center reported being sexually assaulted for a period of several years by a suspect known to them. Detectives with the Fayetteville Police Department’s Youth Services & Special Victim’s Unit immediately launched an investigation.

The preliminary investigation identified Dennis Jerel Sullivan as the suspect, with evidence suggesting the abuse spanned approximately five years. A Sexual Assault Kit was administered to the victim, and DNA evidence collected was processed at the North Carolina State Crime Laboratory.

Sullivan was initially charged and arrested on June 7, 2024, on charges of Second-Degree Forcible Rape, Incest, and Sexual Battery. Prior to the Grand Jury proceedings, the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office indicted Sullivan on an additional 13 sex crime charges against a juvenile.

The trial commenced on September 22, 2025, and concluded with the guilty verdict on September 26. Sullivan was convicted of:

• Statutory Rape of a Child age 13, 14, & 15 years of age (3 counts)

• Sex Offense with a Child age 13, 14, & 15 years of age (3 counts)

• Incest with a Child (3 counts)

• Incest (1 count)