Stanton pleads guilty to sexual battery

GREENCASTLE -- A Coatesville man pled guilty in Putnam Superior Court Monday to a Class D felony count of sexual battery.

Judge Denny Bridges will sentence Robbie G. Stanton, 36, on Jan. 10. Stanton could receive a maximum prison sentence of three years.

Stanton was arrested August of 2009 and charged with Class C felony child molesting. The reduced charge was part of a plea agreement struck between Stanton's legal counsel and the Putnam County Prosecutor's Office.

"Mr. Stanton only received this offer because of the concern for the victim in this case," Putnam County Prosecutor Tim Bookwalter said. "It was not in the victim's best interest to testify in this case, and her family is in agreement."

Stanton was apprehended at the conclusion of an investigation conducted by officials from the Putnam County Department of Child Protective Services, the Greencastle Police Department and the Putnam County Sheriff's Department.

Police were seeking Stanton for an interview when they were informed Stanton had checked himself into a mental stress facility in Hendricks County. Stanton told facility personnel he had anger management issues, and he also admitted to molesting the victim in the Putnam County case, court records said.

Court documents said Stanton fondled the victim, who was 11 years old at the time, on three separate occasions. All the incidents took place in Fillmore and occurred over two years ago.

When police did interview Stanton, he told them he was under the influence of alcohol when he molested the victim.

Stanton's bond was originally set at $25,000 cash only. On Sept. 2, 2009 Bridges reduced the bond in Stanton's case to $20,000 with 10 percent authorized or $15,000 surety.

Over the next several months, the case was continued several times, and on April 7 Stanton was deemed ineligible for home detention. He remained in jail until July 14, when the parties in the case agreed to a $5,000 bond with 10 percent allowed. Stanton was released from jail after posting $505.