SALYERSVILLE – In court last week a Magoffin County man was sentenced to 27 years in prison on charges related to sexually abusing a minor.
On Thursday, June 20, Stuart Horton, 31, from Left Fork Johnson, in Magoffin County, was found guilty and sentenced, with the judge accepting his plea deal and sentencing him to 27 years in prison for his charges of first-degree sodomy, victim under 12 years old (Class A felony); first-degree rape, victim under 12 years old (Class A felony); and first-degree sexual abuse, victim under 12 years old (Class C felony).
In March, Horton signed a plea agreement with the Commonwealth Attorney’s office, agreeing to plead guilty to the charges in return for the Commonwealth Attorney recommending to the court a sentencing of 20 years in prison for both the sodomy and rape charges, to run concurrently, and seven years in prison for the sexual abuse charge, to run concurrently with the 20 years, for a total of 27 years in prison. He agreed to undergo sexual offender evaluation and to follow through with the recommended treatment. Under the plea deal, he will required to comply with lifetime sexual offender registration, and will have five years conditional discharge after his sentence is served. He can have no contact with the victim, but the Commonwealth agreed to not object to phone calls with Horton’s son.
At press time, he remains in custody at the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center.
