Shepherd receives 3-year sentence

Monday, July 19, 2010

GREENCASTLE -- A Greencastle man has been given a three-year sentence for a sexual assault against a Putnam County Comprehensive Services consumer.

Judge Charles D. Bridges entered a judgement of conviction against Keith A. Shepherd, 33, on a Class D felony charge of sexual battery. Under the terms of a plea agreement, an additional county of Class D felony sexual battery and a Class A misdemeanor charge of public indecency were dismissed.

Bridges ordered that Shepherd would be incarcerated for two years at the Putnam County Jail and spend the remainder of his sentence on probation.

Shepherd has been in jail since his Feb. 26 arrest. The time he has already served will be credited toward his sentence.

Bridges also ordered Shepherd to pay court fines and costs and to perform 32 hours of community service upon Shepherd's release from jail. Shepherd was also ordered to have no communication with his victim.

The charges against Shepherd stemmed from a Feb. 22 incident in which he was found exposing himself to and fondling the breasts of a PCCS client in a stall in the women's restroom at the Putnam County Public Library.

Court records said the victim's mental capacity was "so low that she would be unable to consent to such activity."

Shepherd and his victim were discovered in the bathroom by a PCCS skills training specialist.

Shepherd was a former PCCS consumer, and was described in court records as "mildly challenged." Staffers at PCCS told authorities that Shepherd knew right from wrong as was well aware that what he had done to the consumer was inappropriate.

When interviewed, Shepherd told police he was in the women's bathroom at the library because the men's room was full. He also said the victim pulled him into the bathroom stall and asked him to touch her.

Eventually, court records said, Shepherd recanted that story and admitted it was a lie.

Shepherd was removed from PCCS for disciplinary reasons, court records said.

Shepherd was already on probation in Putnam County for a November battery conviction when he was arrested in February. As a result, he was held in jail without bond.

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