Claypool Man Sentenced For MolestingA Claypool man was sentenced to eight years in prison Monday for molesting two relatives.
Jason Holloway, 35, of 105 E. Section St., Claypool, appeared in Kosciusko Superior Court I Monday and was convicted of two Level 4 felony child molesting charges. Special Judge Karen Springer sentenced Holloway to six years in the Indiana Department of Corrections, with two years suspended, for each felony. A plea agreement Holloway struck with prosecutors capped the maximum time served at eight years.
Holloway has been lodged in the Kosciusko County Jail since July 19 after police responded to a report that he had molested two relatives – ages 8 and 6 – by touching them underneath their clothing after rubbing their stomachs.
In court Monday, Holloway's public defender, John Barrett, had to get his client to retract a statement Holloway had written in his Pre-Sentence Investigation (PSI) report. In that statement, Holloway professed his innocence and said he was "set up" and "you can ask anyone in my family, I would never do that." Holloway did retract his statement of innocence Monday, otherwise sentencing would not have been able to go forward and he would have had to take it to a trial. Holloway admitted he was guilty Monday by doing that, but was seen shaking his head no when Springer read the charging information.
Barrett told the judge his client is "35 years old and he's never ever been in any trouble."
Kosciusko County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Joseph Sobek reminded Springer that Holloway was in a position of care when he committed the crimes.
Springer said that although Holloway chose to retract his statement made in PSI, she was troubled when she read it.
"It does suggest that Mr. Holloway has no remorse for his actions, and that concerns me," she said.
Upon Holloway's release from prison, he will have to register as a sex offender and serve four years on supervised probation. No-contact orders have been in place since his arrest and will remain.
