Good Grief: 35 Year Old Bowling Green, Kentucky, Man Pleads Guilty To Abuse OF 11 Year Old Girl He Met On FACEBOOK!

BG man pleads guilty to abuse of 11-year-old
By JUSTIN STORY

A Bowling Green man entered a guilty plea Monday to several counts stemming from allegations of inappropriate behavior with an 11-year-old girl.

Joseph Morehead, 35, pleaded guilty in Warren Circuit Court to six counts of second-degree criminal abuse and one count of possession of marijuana.

Appearing before Warren Circuit Judge Steve Wilson with his attorney, Dennie Hardin of Bowling Green, Morehead did not speak other than to answer “yes” or “no” to Wilson’s questions.

Morehead had originally been charged with six counts of first-degree sexual abuse, a more serious felony. His case was scheduled to go before a jury trial today and he faced up to 20 years in prison if convicted on all counts.

Under state law, a person is guilty of second-degree criminal abuse when he wantonly abuses another person age 12 or younger and causes serious physical injury or places the victim in a situation that causes serious injury and causes torture, cruel confinement or cruel punishment.

The charges arose from allegations made by an 11-year-old girl that Morehead fondled her and subjected her to sexual contact at Morehead’s house on Oct. 4-5.

Hardin said Monday that the girl was at Morehead’s house to spend the night with his daughter.

According to court records, Morehead at one point pulled the girl onto his lap after she got out of the shower and asked for sex, which the girl declined. The girl reported to the Bowling Green Police Department that she also woke up in the middle of the night to see Morehead standing over her and wearing a condom and nothing else but a T-shirt and baseball cap, according to court records.

The 11-year-old told police that she and Morehead had communicated with each other via Facebook.

Police executing a search warrant at Morehead’s residence discovered two cigarette packs containing a small amount of marijuana in Morehead’s bedroom, according to court records.

The case was investigated by BGPD Detective Tim Wilson.

Morehead entered an Alford plea at Monday’s hearing, in which he denied wrongdoing but acknowledged that enough evidence existed against him to persuade a jury to find him guilty.

The plea agreement calls for Morehead to enter a pretrial diversion program for five years on the condition that Morehead spend 45 days in jail and have no contact with the victim.

A former youth sports coach, Morehead must also agree not to coach minors in the future.

Warren County Commonwealth’s Attorney Chris Cohron said in an email that the victim was not a member of any team coached by Morehead.

If he obeys the conditions of the plea agreement, the conviction will be diverted and removed from Morehead’s record after five years. Morehead faces a five-year prison sentence for violating the terms of the pretrial diversion.

Hardin said Monday that Morehead is scheduled to serve his sentence during weekends beginning Aug. 12.