HANCOCK COUNTY — A Henry County man accused of raping a woman at a home in eastern Hancock County a year ago pleaded guilty late last week and will now serve almost a decade in prison.
Gary Alan Roberts, 59, New Castle, was originally charged with a Level 3 felony count of rape along with five other charges, including Level 6 felony counts of battery and intimidation stemming from an incident in October, 2020. Roberts pleaded guilty Friday, Oct. 15, to the rape charge, prosecutor Brent Eaton said.
The plea agreement, which still must be accepted by the court, calls for a nine-year sentence to be executed in prison. Roberts must also register as a sex offender and have no contact with the victim during his sentence.
As part of the plea deal, which was discussed in a hearing last week, the state will dismiss the five other lesser charges.
Roberts has been in the county jail since he was arrested Nov. 8, 2020, and will receive credit for time served, the agreement stated. Sentencing by Judge Scott Sirk in Hancock County Circuit Court will take place once the probation department completes a pre-sentence investigation
According to a probable cause affidavit, the rape took place during the week of Oct. 19, 2020, at the victim’s home after she had allowed Roberts to stay there for a few weeks.
The woman told officials she was scared for her life and was afraid to tell anyone what had happened, the report stated. On Nov. 6, 2020, the woman said, Roberts became violent, grabbed her by the arm, threw her against the wall and placed his hands around her neck after she had talked to a friend.
On Nov. 7, the woman asked Roberts to leave the home, which he did for a short time before he broke back into the home the same day, forcing the woman to flee by jumping out a window, the affidavit said. Roberts left the house shortly after, the woman told investigators.
Officers from the Henry County and Hancock County sheriff’s departments investigated the incident. Roberts was arrested in Henry County and was transported to the Hancock County Jail, where he’ll remain until sentencing.
