KINGWOOD — A Terra Alta man charged with two counts of child abuse and possession was released under a deferred adjudication Tuesday.
William Lloyd Dunson was indicted in 2016 on charges of child abuse and delivery of liquid marijuana. According to a police report, he gave the drug to two teens in his home in January of that year.
Police were called after the teens became ill. Neither was seriously injured. A question arose whether Dunson was to be released under a pre-trial diversion or a deferred adjudication.
Both Preston Prosecuting Attorney Melvin Snyder and defense attorney Stephanie Nethken said a pretrial diversion had been filed.
Circuit Judge Steven Shaffer said that was not the case. “I have the deferred adjudication with child abuse resulting in injury,” Shaffer said. “That’s the one I have.”
Under the deferred adjudication, Dunson pleaded guilty earlier to the felony crime of child abuse resulting in injury. The adjudication was deferred for a period of three years and he was subject to probation supervision for three years, including six months of home confinement participation. He was also required to participate in the Community Corrections program for one year.
The State dropped the other two counts of the indictment.
Dunson completed the terms of the adjudication and was allowed to withdraw his felony plea and entered a plea of guilty to the misdemeanor crime of child abuse creating a substantial risk of injury.
Shaffer sentenced Dunson to six months jail time and fined him $100 plus court costs. He gave him credit for the six months of home confinement he has already served.
Snyder said Dunson does not have to register with the Child Abuse Registry because he was pleading to a misdemeanor.
