Published: November 20, 2009 07:42 pm      

Guilty plea entered for sexual abuse at library

A man pleaded guilty to a sexual abuse charge stemming from an incident in which he inappropriately touched a young girl in a public area.

Ernest A. Jackson, 19, of Waynesburg pleaded guilty to one count of first degree sexual abuse Thursday in Pulaski Circuit Court.

According to Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Jeremy A. Bartley, on February 27 of this year Jackson “groped” a young female as she was entering the Pulaski County Public Library. Bartley had previously told the Commonwealth Journal that the girl was 12 years old at the time of the incident and that she didn’t know Jackson.

Jackson was later apprehended by the Somerset Police Department after the victim and her sister ran into the library and alerted staff members. The family soon filed a complaint with authorities.

A security camera at the library captured images of Jackson and the young girl, but images of the incident were not taken.

Jackson also pleaded guilty to a separate sexual abuse charge in Lincoln Circuit Court, and Bartley stated that he anticipated a total sentence of 5 years imprisonment.

Jackson had originally pleaded not guilty to the sexual abuse charge after he was indicted on that charge in April.

Pulaski Circuit Judge Jeffrey Burdette set final sentencing for Dec. 17, 2009.