A Cortland man originally accused of sexually abusing a young girl was acquitted on all charges.

Arthur Ward, 84, was arrested in January 2016. He was facing 70 counts of first-degree sexual abuse. Investigators had claimed there were numerous instances of abuse of a girl younger than 11 years old over the course of nearly seven years.

A jury deliberated for about an hour in Cortland County Court before finding Ward not guilty.