Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below 
plifter
Banned
http://www.hdonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060615/NEWS01/606150347
Damn, if I ever have a child, I won't trust anyone with them.
Former superintendent pleads to sex crime
By Curtis Johnson and Rachel Gensler
The Herald-Dispatch
HUNTINGTON -- Longtime Cabell County educator Richard "Dick" Jefferson has pleaded guilty to sexually soliciting who he thought was a 14-year-old girl on the Internet.
Jefferson, 63, of Barb-oursville pleaded guilty to the charge Wednesday morning, after his alleged victim turned out to be an undercover police officer working in New Martinsville, W.Va.
"I solicited a minor over the computer," he said in court documents.
The longtime teacher, principal and former Cabell County Schools superintendent now faces a maximum of two to
10 years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine. Other options include home confinement or probation, but he still must register as a sex offender on the state's registry.
Jefferson worked in the school system from the late 1970s to his retirement in 1998. He served as the superintendent of Cabell County Schools from 1995 to 1998.
Jefferson was released from police custody Wednesday, but there was no record of any bond being set. He is scheduled to be sentenced before Cabell Circuit Judge Dan O'Hanlon Aug. 11.
Police and prosecutors say Jefferson satisfactorily answered all the questions during a polygraph test and said there are no allegations that the defendant ever committed any physical crime.
Still, news of the allegations shocked many in the community Wednesday.
When Jefferson was the superintendent of the district, current Cabell County Schools Superintendent Bill Smith was promoted to assistant superintendent of the county.
"It is so pervasive. You catch people in high profiles, people you never thought would be in this situation, like in this case," Smith said. "It is unbelievable. I don't know what else to say."
Just last month, Jefferson received 579 votes for re-election to the Cabell County Democratic Executive Committee, according to County Clerk records.
The defendant's brother-in-law, Barboursville Mayor Paul Turman, said the news took him by surprise and that justice needs to prevail.
"It's a shock to me, and I'm sure it is to his family, the church and the school system," Turman said. "I'm stunned. I couldn't believe it when I was told. I can't imagine he could be involved in that type of thing, but I don't understand what goes through people's minds that do those types of things."
When asked if he was under treatment, Jefferson said he was in counseling, according to his plea questionnaire.
Barboursville Police Chief Alan Meek said he has known Jefferson for some time and was disappointed when he learned that he would be conducting such an investigation.
"I always got along well with him," Meek said. "I always had a high regard for him. I'm very disappointed and hurt."
Smith said he plans to heighten employee training regarding what is appropriate and inappropriate.
"There is no way to be absolute, to be 100 percent when it comes to safeguarding. ... One of the things we certainly want to do is look at what else we need to do and can do to make our kids safe," Smith said. "I am sure we need to step up the training on this issue."
Jedd Flowers, director of communications for Cabell County Schools, said before any employee is hired in the county, he or she has an in-depth criminal background check.
"Anytime there would be any activity with students, we immediately turn that over to Child Protective Services," Flowers said. "We are required to report it anytime we even suspect something improper is going on."
Cabell County Prosecutor Chris Chiles said Wednesday's conviction stems for a series of online conversations between Jefferson and the undercover officer. Those conversations took place between Feb. 24 to April 24.
"I think it is always sad when anyone does something like this," Chiles said. "You take your defendants as you find them. We treat every case based upon the facts of that case, and lots of things go into that."
When Chiles became aware of the New Martinsville investigation, a search warrant was executed at Jefferson's residence in Barboursville.
Chiles said officers confiscated the computer and its accessories, along with a Web camera, 27 writable compact discs, a modem and one video camera.
The computer has been sent for forensic analysis, but Chiles said he has no indication to believe there is anything pornographic on it or the cameras.
Jefferson's attorney, Richard Vital, did not return telephone calls seeking comment Wednesday.
Jefferson waived his right to have a grand jury consider evidence in his case, and proceeded to enter the guilty plea Wednesday, according to court documents.
Court documents state some plea negotiations have occurred, but the deal was only for Jefferson to plead guilty and then his sentence would be decided by the judge.
Jefferson's name did not appear on O'Hanlon's initial Wednesday morning court docket when it was obtained by The Herald-Dispatch on Tuesday.
Chiles said the case was added to the docket late Tuesday afternoon.
The prosecutor said there was no attempt to hide Jefferson's case from the public, and that the quick add-on occurred so the court could move forward with the case before schedule conflicts delayed doing so into July.
Damn, if I ever have a child, I won't trust anyone with them.
Former superintendent pleads to sex crime
By Curtis Johnson and Rachel Gensler
The Herald-Dispatch
HUNTINGTON -- Longtime Cabell County educator Richard "Dick" Jefferson has pleaded guilty to sexually soliciting who he thought was a 14-year-old girl on the Internet.
Jefferson, 63, of Barb-oursville pleaded guilty to the charge Wednesday morning, after his alleged victim turned out to be an undercover police officer working in New Martinsville, W.Va.
"I solicited a minor over the computer," he said in court documents.
The longtime teacher, principal and former Cabell County Schools superintendent now faces a maximum of two to
10 years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine. Other options include home confinement or probation, but he still must register as a sex offender on the state's registry.
Jefferson worked in the school system from the late 1970s to his retirement in 1998. He served as the superintendent of Cabell County Schools from 1995 to 1998.
Jefferson was released from police custody Wednesday, but there was no record of any bond being set. He is scheduled to be sentenced before Cabell Circuit Judge Dan O'Hanlon Aug. 11.
Police and prosecutors say Jefferson satisfactorily answered all the questions during a polygraph test and said there are no allegations that the defendant ever committed any physical crime.
Still, news of the allegations shocked many in the community Wednesday.
When Jefferson was the superintendent of the district, current Cabell County Schools Superintendent Bill Smith was promoted to assistant superintendent of the county.
"It is so pervasive. You catch people in high profiles, people you never thought would be in this situation, like in this case," Smith said. "It is unbelievable. I don't know what else to say."
Just last month, Jefferson received 579 votes for re-election to the Cabell County Democratic Executive Committee, according to County Clerk records.
The defendant's brother-in-law, Barboursville Mayor Paul Turman, said the news took him by surprise and that justice needs to prevail.
"It's a shock to me, and I'm sure it is to his family, the church and the school system," Turman said. "I'm stunned. I couldn't believe it when I was told. I can't imagine he could be involved in that type of thing, but I don't understand what goes through people's minds that do those types of things."
When asked if he was under treatment, Jefferson said he was in counseling, according to his plea questionnaire.
Barboursville Police Chief Alan Meek said he has known Jefferson for some time and was disappointed when he learned that he would be conducting such an investigation.
"I always got along well with him," Meek said. "I always had a high regard for him. I'm very disappointed and hurt."
Smith said he plans to heighten employee training regarding what is appropriate and inappropriate.
"There is no way to be absolute, to be 100 percent when it comes to safeguarding. ... One of the things we certainly want to do is look at what else we need to do and can do to make our kids safe," Smith said. "I am sure we need to step up the training on this issue."
Jedd Flowers, director of communications for Cabell County Schools, said before any employee is hired in the county, he or she has an in-depth criminal background check.
"Anytime there would be any activity with students, we immediately turn that over to Child Protective Services," Flowers said. "We are required to report it anytime we even suspect something improper is going on."
Cabell County Prosecutor Chris Chiles said Wednesday's conviction stems for a series of online conversations between Jefferson and the undercover officer. Those conversations took place between Feb. 24 to April 24.
"I think it is always sad when anyone does something like this," Chiles said. "You take your defendants as you find them. We treat every case based upon the facts of that case, and lots of things go into that."
When Chiles became aware of the New Martinsville investigation, a search warrant was executed at Jefferson's residence in Barboursville.
Chiles said officers confiscated the computer and its accessories, along with a Web camera, 27 writable compact discs, a modem and one video camera.
The computer has been sent for forensic analysis, but Chiles said he has no indication to believe there is anything pornographic on it or the cameras.
Jefferson's attorney, Richard Vital, did not return telephone calls seeking comment Wednesday.
Jefferson waived his right to have a grand jury consider evidence in his case, and proceeded to enter the guilty plea Wednesday, according to court documents.
Court documents state some plea negotiations have occurred, but the deal was only for Jefferson to plead guilty and then his sentence would be decided by the judge.
Jefferson's name did not appear on O'Hanlon's initial Wednesday morning court docket when it was obtained by The Herald-Dispatch on Tuesday.
Chiles said the case was added to the docket late Tuesday afternoon.
The prosecutor said there was no attempt to hide Jefferson's case from the public, and that the quick add-on occurred so the court could move forward with the case before schedule conflicts delayed doing so into July.
