Cloverdale man arrested for molesting a child

Monday, December 20, 2010

GREENCASTLE -- Bond for a Cloverdale man accused of molesting a child has been set at $20,000 cash only.

Henry Owens, 54, remained in the Putnam County Jail Monday. He was arrested late last week, and faces a charge of Class C felony child molesting.

According to a report prepared by Putnam County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Jonathan Chadd, authorities were dispatched to the address of the alleged victim to investigate a possible sexual molesting incident involving a child.

The report said the alleged victim's mother was "crying and visibly upset."

Owens was also at the residence, the report said. Chadd spoke to the alleged victim's mother in private, and she told Chadd that the alleged victim had told her that Owens had recently "touched her in her private area," the report said.

The alleged victim, a 9-year-old girl, had been molested in the past and is a special needs child, the report said.

When Chadd interviewed the alleged victim, the girl reiterated that Owens had touched her genitals, the report said.

Chadd called the Putnam County Department of Child Services to report the alleged incident. After placing the call, he asked to speak with Owens.

After Chadd and Owens spoke, Chadd placed Owens under arrest.

At his initial hearing, Owens pled not guilty. He requested pauper counsel, and public defender Joel Wieneke was appointed to represent him.

A pretrial conference in the case has been set for Feb. 10.

Owens has no prior criminal history in Putnam County. In 2004, he was convicted in Montgomery County of Class A misdemeanor check deception.

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  • I am not sure what to make of this yet. I don't know the guy and don't know whether he even did this. I sure wouldn't blame the mother. The first hint of trouble she called authorities. How was she to guess the guy would do this? 99.9 % of men wouldn't, even if they aren't angels. Mom did what she could when she could. I will wait otherwise to see what results. There is no sense in complaining about punishment before a trial. He won't get life and he won't get death. Gotta get over that idea. We aren't Iran and we don't punish that way.

    -- Posted by Pojoe on Tue, Dec 21, 2010, at 10:18 AM
  • Oh, UMad and BrazilResident

    He will be out in no time!

    Putnam county loves to release people who murder

    who touch children

    and people who domestically assult others

    but meth sellers get the worst dicipline.

    So he will be back out to touch more children shortly

    -- Posted by BlackBarbie22 on Tue, Dec 21, 2010, at 11:08 AM
  • "The alleged victim, a 9-year-old girl, had been molested in the past"

    That statement doesn't say that she was molested in the past by this guy. Mom could not have predicted this. She is also a victim.

    If this guy is guilty, then let him go to prison where they treat child molesters in a "special way."

    -- Posted by Geologist on Tue, Dec 21, 2010, at 11:24 AM
  • As the mother of a special needs child....put this sob in population and let it slip out about what he did. This poor child has been through this more than once and no child should ever have to go through it. My heart goes out to her and her family. They are in my thoughts. Bad thing is my separation anxiety just got a lot worse.

    -- Posted by Meadow31 on Tue, Dec 21, 2010, at 11:26 AM
  • You are all right! I am also a mother of a special needs child and this absoluely disgusts me! How in the world are we gonna set bond for a pervert like this but keep out jail crowded with ppl who do and sell drugs! It makes me sick! Not saying the drug dealers should go unpunished but really people! At least the people who do the drugs can make the decision themselves whether they want to or not but this poor innocent little girl didn't choose to be molested! GOD will take care of these people on judgement day but we can help keep them from doing it again until that time!

    -- Posted by ithappens33 on Tue, Dec 21, 2010, at 3:47 PM
  • *

    Wow. Lets just hang 'im now and have the trial later... so what if he is later found innocent? He shouldn't have put 'imself in that position!

    Look - the guy was arrested, not convicted. Before you go buy some rope, keep in mind that he is entitled to a trial where he can present his side of things.

    (And no - I dont know the guy. But I am familiar with the way the cops/prosecutors/judges/juries work.)

    Y'all hollering for his head give Putnam County an undeserved taint.

    -- Posted by dreadpirateroberts on Wed, Dec 22, 2010, at 1:48 PM
  • This guy is not a bad person. He did not touch her without her clothes on. She had been molested in the past before these people even got her. She is adopted. She only has a slight learning disability and I am VERY ANGRY at the people who say bad things about him. For all you know, he was molested as a child. In fact, I'm pretty sure he was. He is just troubled and needs help, not jail time. He needs lots of counseling and support. He loves his family very much and would never do anything to hurt them intentionally. He wants to get help and be back with his family. God will get all of you who are judging him when judgement day comes. "Judge ye not lest ye be judged." That's what the Bible says. He's not ever gonna do this again and I know it. He is an upstanding member of the community and a very loving, caring, and hard working man. Think of his pain when he was molested. He has been carrying this pain around with him since he was a young boy. THINK ABOUT IT PEOPLE!!!

    -- Posted by Angry Anonymous on Wed, Dec 22, 2010, at 2:06 PM
  • Angry Anonymous--So since she had clothes on, and he had been molested when he was a child it's OK? Doesnt quite add up to me.

    -- Posted by mmm on Wed, Dec 22, 2010, at 2:28 PM
  • Ok angry....I am VERY ANGRY that you could even defend this guy! It may not be true but if it is then how do you know he will never do it again! He's 54 years old and he knows it was WRONG and DISGUSTING!!!!

    -- Posted by ithappens33 on Wed, Dec 22, 2010, at 6:16 PM
  • Angry Anonymous...you're pretty quick to defend.

    "He did not touch her without her clothes on."

    Just asking... are you saying it's okay to touch a child's body "over" their clothes?

    Anyone touches my child over or under his/her clothes, the police wouldn't be necessary.

    A hearse would be more appropriate.

    -- Posted by ProblemTransmission on Thu, Dec 23, 2010, at 10:25 AM
  • Problem Transmisson,our views don't oftin mesh,but on this one I agree 100%

    -- Posted by obeone on Thu, Dec 23, 2010, at 1:57 PM
  • Angry Anonymous,

    God will get all of you who are judging him when judgement day comes. "Judge ye not lest ye be judged."

    did you really say both of these things in the same sentence? "God will get all of you" is not being judgemental?

    -- Posted by somepeople on Tue, Dec 28, 2010, at 5:40 PM
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