A former local volleyball coach has pleaded guilty to three counts of felony child molesting.
Bruce W. Giggy, 61, of 4210 River Road, Columbus, entered guilty pleas to the Class C felonies in Bartholomew Superior Court 1 on Monday as part of a plea bargain agreement reached with the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s office.
Giggy was originally charged with five counts of felony child molesting, involving four different individuals, but two of the counts will be dismissed as part of the plea bargain, court documents state.
Giggy is accused of molesting four different children younger than age 14 between 1999 and 2008 at his home, according to a probable-cause affidavit filed in the case. In the charges, he is accused of fondling the victims and attempting to have the victims fondle him, court documents state. Ages of the victims now range from 15 to 26.
The allegations of child molesting originated with two of the victims providing statements to a Columbus Police Department detective. In those statements, the two victims told the detective they believed a third victim had been molested, court records state.
The plea bargain leaves sentencing on the three felony counts up to Judge James Worton, who set Giggy’s sentencing date for 3 p.m. June 12.
Conviction on a Class C felony is punishable by a two-year minimum prison sentence, or an eight-year maximum sentence, with a presumptive term of four years, with a fine of up to $10,000 on each conviction.
Worton told Giggy during the hearing that Giggy could be sentenced to consecutive sentences, meaning that it is possible for the judge to impose a sentence in which prison time on each conviction is served consecutively, rather than at the same time.
As many as five witnesses may testify on Giggy’s behalf at the sentencing, defense attorney Mark Dove said. The prosecution might have two or three witnesses, Bartholomew County deputy prosecutor Mary Wertz said,
Worton told Giggy that as a result of his guilty plea, he will be required to register as a sex offender per Indiana law.
No-contact orders are on file for the victims in the cases, court records state.
But in a conference between the attorneys with Worton prior to the change-of-plea hearing, it was agreed that the no-contact order issued involving the victim in the dismissed cases could be revoked if the victim requests it when age 18 years old or older, the judge said. The victim may file a request to have the no-contact order lifted and a hearing would be set to consider it, Worton said.
Giggy was a volleyball coach for the Columbus North High School freshman team from 2005 to 2009 and resigned to become high school varsity volleyball coach at Columbus Christian School, school officials said earlier.
Columbus Christian officials said earlier that Giggy ended his coaching affiliation with the school by mutual agreement after the 2016 fall volleyball season when Columbus police told them an investigation was underway involving Giggy. Detectives told school officials that no one at Columbus Christian was involved in the investigation into Giggy’s misconduct, school officials said.
Giggy was taken into custody July 12, 2017 after a warrant was issued for his arrest and he was released from the Bartholomew County Jail after posting a $17,500 cash bond, court records state.
Giggy was ordered to meet with probation officials who will prepare a presentence investigation report prior to sentencing.
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Bruce W. Giggy, 61, of 4210 River Road, Columbus, is scheduled to be sentenced at 3 p.m. June 12 on three counts of felony child molesting.
The plea bargain leaves sentencing up to Judge James Worton, who set Giggy’s sentencing date for 3 p.m. June 12.
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