May 13, 2008 12:40 am
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A Carthage man entered an Alford plea Monday in Jasper County Circuit Court to an amended charge of felony child endangerment.
William S. Blake, 25, was charged in September with felony enticement of a child.
A probable-cause affidavit filed with the court by Webb City police states that he allegedly sent text messages to a 13-year-old girl in July 2007 in Webb City, asking her if she wanted to have sex with him. The affidavit states that he also sent her pictures of himself naked from the waist up.
Blake entered the Alford plea Monday to an amended charge of first-degree child endangerment in a plea agreement limiting the prison time he might be required to serve to no more than three years. An Alford plea admits no guilt but acknowledges that the evidence against a defendant is strong enough to make a conviction likely if the case were to be tried in court.
Circuit Judge Gayle Crane ordered completion of a sentencing-assessment report and set sentencing for July 21.
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