By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

COLUMBIANA – A 33-year-old Maylene man is set to stand trial on child sex abuse charge in mid-November, according to documents recently filed in Shelby County Circuit Court.

Anthony Ray Bryson, who lists an address on First Avenue West in Maylene, will stand trial in front of Circuit Court Judge William Bostick beginning on Nov. 13, according to a scheduling order filed in early September. He will appear in court for a plea date on Oct. 31.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office arrested Bryson on Jan. 30, 2016, and charged him with one felony count of sexual abuse of a child younger than 12.

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 originally was released from the Shelby County Jail the day after he was arrested after posting a $25,000 bond. However, his bond was revoked and he was rebooked into the Shelby County Jail in April 2016 after he was charged with a third-degree burglary charge in Jefferson County.

In September 2016, Bryson’s attorney requested Bryson’s bond be reinstated in the Shelby County charge, claiming Bryson sustained a concussion shortly before he was charged with burglary in Jefferson County.

“It is defendant’s contention that this medical condition is the underlying prime contributing factor to said incident,” read the bond reinstatement request. “Defendant has no prior criminal history and has previously served as a lawfully abiding citizen employed in Alabaster, Shelby County, Alabama area his entire adult life.”

Alvis denied Bryson’s request following the Nov. 12, 2016, hearing.