Local resident pleads guilty to child molesting, receives 45 years

A 52-year-old Bartholomew County man linked to a series of child molestations during a period dating back to 1999 recently received a 45-year prison term in Jackson Circuit Court.

Charles A. Allman of Columbus received that sentence from Judge Richard W. Poynter after Poynter accepted Allman’s guilty plea to one count of child molesting, a Class A felony.

The investigation into the incidents that led to Allman’s conviction began after Bartholomew County Department of Child Protective Services received reports from a woman who had concerns about Allman and his conduct with a 14-year-old girl in 2015.

Detective Brian Plummer with the Columbus Police Department led an investigation that began in October 2015 when he interviewed the girl and her mother.

A now 23-year-old woman also was interviewed during the same time period in connection with the case and talked about incidents in which she said she had been molested by Allman. That woman told investigators the incidents started in 1999 when she was 5 years old and continued until she was 17.

Most of the incidents occurred at residences in the Seymour area, but some happened while the two were alone on fishing trips at Cypress Lake north of Seymour and Mill Race Park in Columbus, according to court records.

“(Filings for) child molesting cases can be done up until the victim is 31 years of age,” Jackson County Prosecutor AmyMarie Travis said at the time of Allman’s arrest in March 2016. “This allows victims to come to terms as an adult and make a late report.”

Class A felony charges do not have a statute of limitations.

Nine counts of child molesting, two counts of sexual misconduct with a minor, four counts of vicarious sexual gratification and one count of child solicitation were dismissed as part of the plea deal.

Poynter did not suspend any of Allman’s sentence but gave him 379 days of credit for time served and 63.17 days of good time credit. As a credit-restricted felon, Allman also will receive one day of credit for every six days served with the department of corrections.

Allman also was ordered to pay a $100 child abuse prevention fee and a $500 sexual assault victim assistance fee.