Ford reaches a plea deal for sexual assault charges

By Ginna Young

After a plea hearing Sept. 8, Kenneth J. Ford, 63, Cadott, received four years probation, with a Deferred Acceptance of Guilty Plea Agreement. As part of the agreement, Ford pled guilty to five counts of Fourth Degree Sexual Assault and one count of Third Degree Sexual Assault.

If Ford complies with the third degree count (which is a felony) for five years, the charge will be dismissed, while the other counts will see the four years of probation. The signature bond will stay in effect.

Ford was originally charged with three counts of First Degree Child Sex Assault – Sexual Contact with Under the Age of 13 and one count of Attempt First Degree Child Sexual Assault – Intercourse with Person Under 12, which are both Class B felonies.

Ford previously pled not guilty to the charges stemming from a March 2020 investigation, and was set to go to trial. The plea came after a school employee was present at a motion hearing Sept. 6, providing witness of student records to the court.

As part of the agreement, Ford is ordered to have no contact with the victim, the victim’s family, other than his wife or any other adult relatives, who may wish to have contact with the defendant or any juvenile females, unless they are related to the defendant, and that either the defendant’s wife or the parents of the juvenile female are present during the period of interaction between the defendant, and those related children.

Because there was information that if the matter went to trial, the victim would have needed to testify in court, District Attorney Wade Newell and the victim’s family discussed how to resolve that, without involving the victim. Newell then negotiated with the defense attorney of the defendant, arriving at the plea agreement and sparing the victim any further emotional impact.

“I guess it’s a good compromise, based on the totality of the circumstance,” said Newell.