A 26-year-old volunteer with Read Mountain Fire and Rescue will spend a year in jail for having sexual contact last year with another volunteer, a teenager.
Matthew Thomas Jones of Roanoke pleaded guilty in Botetourt Circuit Court on Monday to two misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor in the case. Judge Malfourd "Bo" Trumbo sentenced him to 12 months in prison on each count, with each suspended after he serves six months.
According to Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Lethia Hammond, the incidents occurred Nov. 1 at the fire company's headquarters on Eastpark Drive, which has a Roanoke address. Jones was initially charged in early June with one count of rape and one count of sodomy.
Hammond said prosecution of the original charges was complicated by the time that had elapsed between the incident and its being reported, but said she was primarily glad they came to light.
"Whenever there's a young victim, it's very brave for them to come forward.
"It's unfortunate so much time had passed, but I think one thing everybody agrees about is that what Mr. Jones did was wrong," she said.
Jones will also be required to undergo counseling and pay $1,000 in restitution.
Read Mountain Fire and Rescue serves parts of both Botetourt and Roanoke counties.
Carr Boyd, director of Botetourt County Emergency Services, said Jones was suspended from his duties "pretty much immediately" after he was charged.
Copyright 2012 - The Roanoke Times, Va.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
