Posted on 12/21/2007 7:42:48 AM PST by Abathar
NEW CASTLE, Ind. -- A foster father who pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct after he impregnated a 15-year-old girl who had been placed in his home was sentenced to five years of probation.
Darrin K. Reid, 37, will spend three of those years on electronic monitoring under terms of the plea agreement approved this week by Henry Circuit Judge Mary Willis.
Willis said Reid, who is blind, was not well-suited to spend time in an Indiana prison. But he also received a suspended prison sentence of 12 years -- time that he could be ordered to serve if he violates terms of his probation, which include strict limits on contact with children under age 16.
"Just the thought of going through this again scares me to no end," said Reid, a former New Castle resident who now lives in Indianapolis. There was no telephone number under his name in published listings and he could not be reached for additional comment. The Associated Press left a phone message seeking comment at the office of his attorney, B. Joseph Davis of Muncie.
The girl, who was placed in Reid's home in January 2006, told her caseworker that she and Reid had had sex several times and that a hospital test had confirmed she was pregnant. The state removed her from the home in August 2006.
The girl also told a Henry County sheriff's detective that she and Reid had sex several times.
Prosecutor Kit Crane said the plea agreement was affected by a defense motion to dismiss the case on the grounds that Reid was being denied his constitutional right to a speedy trial.
"We had some concern with regard to some of the evidence we had to work with on the case," he added. "This disposition avoids the necessity of having the victim testify."
Reid was licensed as a state foster parent from June 2004 until his license was revoked last year, the Indiana Department of Child Services said.
My favorite part too.
This crap happens in Indiana all the time. I am sick and tired of the LAZY prosecuters in this state. They let these Monsters cop plea agreements to lesser offenses and then tell us it’s to spare the child from testifying or that their evidence was’nt very strong.
We have Jessica’s Law here but it seldom gets used because of these plea arrangements.
When I grew up, my mom told me that if I...oh, never mind.
Woody Allen?
If he was a teacher, he’d get a warning notice.
Which is an effect of the sexualization of danged near everything at an early age....I could go on, but none of this has been happening in a vacuum, it has been enabled and promoted by the liberals.
He should have been decapitated.
This is small town Indiana. Hanging from an oak tree in front of the courthouse is exactly where he belongs.
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