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Last updated on Thursday, August 27, 2015
(BEDFORD) - Oolitic Deputy Marshal Bill Allen, who was charged with three counts of child molesting, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge this afternoon in Lawrence Superior Court I.
Allen's attorney Stacey Uliana filed a verified motion for change of plea on August 12. Prosecutor Stanley Levco, who presented the case for the state, filed a Class D felony charge of dissemination of matter harmful to a minor. Allen admitted that he had provided the girl with a sexual device.
The other felony charges of having sexual intercourse, performing sexual deviate conduct and fondling a then 13-year-old girl were dropped as part of that plea agreement.
Judge William Sleva will sentence September 28 at 2:30 p.m. Allen is facing a maximum three year sentence.
Both the girl and her mother made statements to the court.
Both said that they did not want to have to face a trial and agreed to Allen pleading guilty to the lesser charge. However Prosecutor Levco did make it clear that the girl was not saying Allen didn't molest her. Defense Attorney Uliana objected saying that her client did not plead guilty to a molesting charge and the court should not consider the girl's statement during sentencing. Judge Sleva agreed with Uliana.
Allen turned himself in on November 24, 2014 after a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was booked into the Lawrence County jail and then released after posting 10 percent ($10,000) of a $100,000 bond.
Allen has been suspended from duty with pay pending the results of the criminal investigation.
Allen is accused of molesting a then 13-year-old girl between March 2008 and May 2012. In the past Allen has denied those allegations.
According to the girl the abuse started when she was about 10 and happened in a home in Lawrence County.
According to the affidavit, the girl said "she had learned about sex in a health class at school and she told Allen she "did not want to do this anymore."
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