Christopher Tedford, of Columbus, will spend 15 years in prison without parole after pleading guilty to fondling a child under the age of 16.
Tedford, 51, entered his plea in Lowndes County Circuit Court on Monday morning.
He was accused of engaging in sexual activity with a minor younger than 14 years old multiple times in a period stretching from January 2006 to April 2007, according to court documents. An affidavit from the case says the incidents happened “more times than (the victim) could remember.”
The victim was 8 years old when the abuse began, authorities say.
Tedford faced charges of sexual battery and fondling. He originally pleaded guilty to sexual battery last week. Tedford withdrew his plea to sexual battery as part of the new plea entered on Monday.
Colom said the difference between the fondling charge and sexual battery is that fondling does not include sexual penetration.
Mississippi 16th Circuit Judge Lee Coleman sentenced Tedford Friday morning to 20 years in prison with 10 suspended and five years of post-release supervision. However, Coleman withdrew the sentencing later that morning after questions arose over the permissibility of a suspended sentence for Tedford’s sexual battery charge.
Colom said the new plea to the fondling charge should eliminate the threat of any appeals or post-conviction relief.
“To avoid any opportunity for the defendant to withdraw the plea and for us to have a trial, we decide that a 15-year sentence with the victim’s consent was a fair sentence,” Colom said. “I’m confident at trial I could have proved that he committed battery. But just to get closure for the victim, to move the case that’s been going for a long time, we’re happy to get it done and over with.”
Tedford must also register as a sex offender.
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
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