Buchanan child seduction sentencing set for Jan. 12

Sentencing for a Coatesville man charges with Class D felony child seduction was set Monday in Putnam County Circuit Court.

A plea agreement for Roy K. Buchanan, 68, was presented to Judge Matt Headley Monday. Under the terms of the agreement, Buchanan would plead guilty to one charge of Class D felony child seduction, and two Class D felony child seduction charges would be dropped.

"Do you feel this is the best resolution for you?" Headley asked Buchanan.

Buchanan said he did. Headley ordered a pre-sentence investigation and said he would take the proposed plea agreement under advisement.

He set Buchanan's sentencing for Jan. 12.

Class D felonies are punishable by up to three years in prison.

Buchanan was arrested in August. His bond was set at $10,000 with 10 percent allowed, and he posted $1,000 and was released shortly after being booked into the Putnam County Jail.

According to an affidavit of probable cause prepared by Indiana State Police Detective Deanna Jones, Jones was contacted on July 14 about a teenage female who had told a counselor of a camp she was attending that she had been raped on more than one occasion. The minor identified Buchanan as her molester, court documents said.

Court documents said the alleged victim told authorities Buchanan "did not use physical force, but that he used mental control over her." The victim said in interviews that the alleged molestation began "all of a sudden one day," and that it began with touching, kissing and tickling before sexual contact began.

The victim alleged that Buchanan raped her about 10 times, beginning in October 2007. She told authorities that she protested every time, and that Buchanan made her feel "scared to death."

In court Monday, Buchanan said relations between himself and the alleged victim, who was 17 at the time, was consensual.

Buchanan's attorney, Darrell Felling, read excerpts of a letter from the alleged victim which said she would always love Buchanan and that she did not want Buchanan to go to prison.

Deputy Prosecutor Justin Long concurred.

"I spoke with the victim, and she does not want (Buchanan) to go to prison," Long said. "All she wants is short term probation and a no-contact order."