RutlandHerald.com - We Are Vermont

DUI-4 inmate faces child sex charge



Toolbox

Published: December 31, 2009

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — A Perkinsville man already serving a prison sentence for drunken driving denied charges Tuesday he sexually assaulted a 10-year-old girl.

Travis J. Barton, 28, pleaded innocent in White River Junction District Court to a felony charge of lewd-and-lascivious conduct with a child.

According to court records, in April 2008, Barton pleaded guilty to felony drunken driving, after three previous drunken driving convictions, and received a two-to-five-year prison sentence, all suspended but six months.

In March, Springfield Police responded to Springfield Hospital to investigate a report of a child sexual assault. Police spoke to the parents of the girl, who said Barton had spent the night at their house and the following morning their daughter said Barton had touched her, records state.

Police interviewed Barton, who denied touching the girl but admitted drinking beer on the night in question, which violated the terms of his probation, affidavits state. Barton returned to prison to serve the remainder of his sentence, which has a maximum release date of September 2013.

Despite already being in prison, Judge Robert Bent set Barton's bail at $10,000 in the event he is released. Barton is prohibited from having contact with anyone younger than 16, except for his children who are allowed to visit him in Springfield prison.








READER COMMENTS


Hey firefighter,lets lock you up for being a idiot
-- Posted by Northern Rebel on Sun, Jan 3, 2010, 1:17 am EST

report this comment


well rebecca we didnt know he would violate a child so there goes your mighty than thow case. If the judge would not have suspended his sentence he would have been in jail at the time of the alledged incident, so there for he wouldnt have had the chance to do it, premeditated or not.
My whole blog is about plea deals and suspended sentences that these judges always hand out like candy on holloween night
-- Posted by Concerned FireFighter on Thu, Dec 31, 2009, 9:12 pm EST

report this comment


How the heck do you people think the judge knew he would turn to violating a child? He was convicted of DUI's before. I love how people just think that judge's and law enforcement officer's can read people's mind's to know what will happen next. I'm sure the parent's of this child had no clue it would happen either or he would NEVER been allowed to stay there.
-- Posted by Rebecca Brown on Thu, Dec 31, 2009, 11:11 am EST

report this comment


Until, the Judges carry out the LETTER of THE LAW this is going to keep Happening,,,The States Attorneys have to STOP with this Plea Bargain Crap,,,
The Department of Corrections gets to watch these Child Molesters,,Send them to Treatment THAT DOES NOT WORK !!!!,,,,Thats Called JOB SECURITY for them..
Does another Child have to be RAPED and MURDERED before our Lawmakers
get it,,,,,THE LAWS ARE BROKEN....Teach the Kids who and what to stay away
from......
-- Posted by angelo None on Thu, Dec 31, 2009, 9:58 am EST

report this comment


So if the Liberal judge who suspended his sentence of 2 to 5 years had NOT done that this little girl at least for now would have not been molested! So the judge who suspended his sentence should be in the bunk next to this looser for lewd conduct also
-- Posted by Concerned FireFighter on Thu, Dec 31, 2009, 7:28 am EST

report this comment

You must be logged in to leave a comment. Register | Log In

Logout