BROWNSTOWN — A Norman man has formally changed his plea and admitted guilt to a felony sex charge stemming from an investigation into the assault of a minor in Jackson County.
Appearing in custody in Jackson Circuit Court before Judge Richard William Poynter, 61-year-old Robert D. Canada withdrew his original plea of not guilty. Under an agreement, Canada entered a plea of guilty to a lesser-included offense of child molestation as a Level 3 felony.
Canada’s conviction follows an investigation that began when the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department received a report regarding the sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl in her home.
According to court and police records, detectives with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, assisted by the Bedford Police Department, located Canada at his workplace and took him into custody. The Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office originally filed formal charges that included a Level 1 felony count of child molestation.
During the recent hearing, Canada appeared alongside court-appointed defense attorney Herbert Walker of Brownstown, while the State of Indiana was represented by Deputy Prosecutor Lynsey N. Fleetwood.
Judge Poynter took Canada’s guilty plea under advisement and ordered a Pre-Sentence Investigation (PSI) Report. Under court orders, the report must be filed with the court, prosecution, and defense counsel at least three days prior to the formal sentencing hearing.
Canada waived his right to a 30-day statutory sentencing requirement. A formal sentencing hearing has been scheduled for Oct. 26, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. in Jackson Circuit Court, where he will remain in custody pending the outcome.
