Four men were indicted by the Webster County Grand Jury in four separate sexual abuse cases last Wednesday.
All four were submitted directly to the grand jury for consideration, bypassing the usual route of arrest, arraignment, and a preliminary hearing in district court.
The investigations that led to the grand jury presentations were conducted by the Kentucky State Police. An email to Post 2 Public Information Officer Brandon McPherson inquiring about the location of the events being investigated went unanswered at press time.
Indictments included:
Jewell W. Cotton for second-degree rape, first-degree sexual abuse, first-degree sexual abuse of a victim under 12 years of age, first-degree unlawful transaction with a minor (illegal sex act with a victim under 16 years of age), and first-degree indecent exposure;
John R. Rosales for three counts of first-degree sexual abuse of a victim under 12 years of age;
Javier G. Ruvalcaba for first-degree sexual abuse of a victim under 12 years of age;
Adam R. Perkins for first-degree sexual abuse of a victim under the age of 16 years of age.
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All four are scheduled for arraignment today at 9 a.m. in Webster Circuit Court.
However, only one of the four had been arrested by press time.
Cotton, 60 of Providence, was taken into custody Friday by the Webster County Sheriff’s Office. He was lodged in the Webster County Detention Center on $25,000 cash bond.
Arraignments for the remaining three will be continued to a later date if their warrants are not served by this morning.
Second degree rape is a Class C felony with a potential sentence of five to ten years.
First-degree sexual abuse of a victim under 16 years of age is a Class D felony with a potential sentence of one to five years. If the victim is under 12 it is a Class C felony.
First-degree unlawful transaction with a minor is a Class C felony if the victim is under 18, but a Class B felony if the victim is under 16. Class B felonies carry a potential sentence of 10 to 20 years. If significant physical injuries are sustained by the victim it can be elevated to a Class A felony with a sentence of 20 to 50 years.
First-degree indecent exposure is a Class B misdemeanor, but can be elevated to a Class D felony with additional offenses within a set period of time. A Class B misdemeanor carries a sentence of up to 90 days in jail.