By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

COLUMBIANA – A 31-year-old Maylene man has been released from the Shelby County Jail after he was arrested in late January and charged with allegedly sexually abusing a child over a 22-month period.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office arrested Anthony Ray Bryson, who lists an address on First Avenue West in Maylene, on Jan. 30 and charged him with one felony count of sexual abuse of a child younger than 12.

The charge is a Class B felony, according to Alabama law, and carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison upon conviction.

The arrest came after the case against Bryson was presented to a Shelby County grand jury in January. After reviewing the evidence, the grand jury returned a one-count indictment against Bryson, resulting in a warrant for his arrest.

According to the grand jury indictment, Bryson allegedly subjected a child younger than 12 to sexual contact between January 2014 and October 2015.

Bryson was released from the Shelby County Jail the day after he was arrested after posting a $25,000 bond.

As of Feb. 17, court records did not yet list an attorney or future court dates for Bryson.