A 31-year-old Arkansas man jailed here in Reno County for inappropriate involvement with a 10-year-old child is scheduled to be sentenced in the case Friday.
It was in January when Dustin Kennedy waived his right to a preliminary hearing and entered a “guilty” plea to aggravated criminal sodomy, while the state dropped a second charge or alternate count of aggravated indecent liberties with a child.
Kennedy was arrested after the incident where he was living with his girlfriend and was alone with her child when the crime occurred. The child apparently told her mother and she then confronted Kennedy. She told him he needed help, so he went to the hospital and asked for help and that’s when police got involved. The alleged crime occurring back on November 10, 2011.
Although the charge falls under Jessica’s Law, which could mean a life sentence with no chance of parole for 25-years, both sides will recommend a downward departure to a level 2 person felony and then sentence him at that level based on any past criminal history.
The sentencing hearing is scheduled in front of Judge Joe McCarville Friday afternoon.