Two men plead guilty in sex-offense cases

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February 6, 2012

By Jeff Lehr news@joplinglobe.com The Joplin Globe Mon Feb 06, 2012, 09:49 PM CST

JOPLIN, Mo. — The Jasper County prosecutor’s office obtained convictions Monday in two sex-offense cases through offers for the defendants to enter pleas on reduced charges.

Brian L. Owens, 36, of Webb City, entered an Alford plea in Jasper County Circuit Court in Joplin to a reduced charge of first-degree child molestation. An Alford plea admits no guilt, but acknowledges the likelihood of a conviction if the matter were to proceed to trial.

Owens had been facing charges of first-degree statutory sodomy and second-degree statutory rape for allegedly having sexual contact with a girl since she was 8, culminating in sexual intercourse with her at the age of 14 in 2010.

The sodomy charge is a Class A felony carrying a punishment range of 10 to 30 years, or up to life, in prison. Owens entered the plea to a Class B felony charge of child molestation, carrying from five to 15 years. His plea deal would limit the term to 10 years, and the statutory rape charge would be dismissed.

Circuit Judge David Dally ordered the completion of a sentencing-assessment report before a sentencing hearing April 2.

In a separate case, Jason E. Payne, 30, of Joplin, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of misdemeanor sexual misconduct.

The defendant had been facing a felony charge of second-degree statutory rape for allegedly having sexual intercourse with a girl between the ages of 14 and 16 in May 2009, according to court records. The charge carries up to seven years in prison.

Under terms of the deal with the prosecutor’s office, Dally sentenced Payne to one year in jail, with execution of the sentence suspended and the defendant placed on supervised probation for two years.

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Two men plead guilty in sex-offense cases

At the request of Republican lawmakers, taxpayers are funding a 24-hour security camera to watch over a Rush Limbaugh bust in the Missouri Capitol. Do you think this is needed?

At the request of Republican lawmakers, taxpayers are funding a 24-hour security camera to watch over a Rush Limbaugh bust in the Missouri Capitol. Do you think this is needed?

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