Currie man pleads guilty to indecent liberties with child in 2018

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The Pender County District Attorney’s Office says a Currie man pleaded guilty earlier this week to two counts of indecent liberties with a child.

A Pender County judge sentenced Ricardo Jones, 39, to one to two years in prison, immediately followed by a suspended sentence of one to two years.

Once he is released, the DA’s Office says Jones will be put on probation for 5 years and must register as a sex offender for 30 years.

Jones had sexual encounters with a 15-year-old girl that he knew in early 2018. The victim shared the incidents with a school counselor, who reported it to the Pender County Sheriff’s Office.

“The victim’s trust in her counselor was an important aspect of this case. As we kick off the new school year, I wish to commend counselors and all professionals who work with children for their efforts to keep them safe in and out of school. Thanks to this counselor’s reporting of this incident, a sex offender is being held accountable for his crimes,” said District Attorney Ben David.