A Rainelle man, who plead guilty to molesting a minor, was given probation on Monday. Randy Allen McClung, 22, was originally indicted in 2011 on five felony counts of third degree sexual assault. Prosecution later petitioned the court to dismiss four of the five felony counts after McClung agreed to enter a guilty plea in January of this year.
During the hearing, Prosecuting Attorney Jennifer Dent stated to the court the defendant had not yet taken full responsibility for his crimes and that a psychiatric evaluation of the defendant warranted jail time because he was a “moderate to high risk for re-offending.”
Defense lawyer Michael Whitt said McClung had been cooperating with his treatment programs. However, since his indictment, McClung has been arrested for failing to appropriately register as a sex offender. That charge remains outstanding.
Judge James J. Rowe declared, “These facts are as disturbing as a vast majority of the cases I’ve become familiar with.” Rowe sentenced McClung to one to five years in prison, but immediately suspended that sentence and placed the defendant on five years of probation, and a $1,000 fine. He then ordered an additional 10 years of supervision by probation officials. McClung will also be required to register as a sex offender for life.
“Overall, the public is better served to have you closely supervised than have you locked up,” Rowe said.