A sex offender required to register for ten years on Indiana’s Sex and Violent Offender Registry was just two days away from the end of his registration requirement when he was arrested in Greene County for two counts of alleged child molesting, both as Level 1 felonies.

Jason Patrick Goens, 41, of Bedford, formerly of Solsberry, was arrested last Saturday, October 12, by Greene County Sheriff’s Deputy Harvey Holt following an investigation by Greene County Prosecutor’s Investigator Julie Criger that started in early September.

Criger explained that a father had taken a daughter in to the IU Bedford Hospital in early September with concern for the daughter’s anxiety and depression. While the daughter was at the hospital, she disclosed alleged inappropriate behavior by Goens, who was her step-father, that occurred when the child was visiting her mother and Goens when they lived in Greene County. This information was then received by a family case manager at the Greene County Department of Child Services and Criger at the prosecutor’s office for investigation.

The situation turned out to involve allegations by two children. In a lengthy probable cause affidavit prepared by Criger, eight pages, single-spaced, she recounts the details of numerous interviews with the two alleged victims and their parents as well as Goens. Those details will not be included in this story, except to say the children were of an age where they were able to remember, describe and discuss various incidents that allegedly occurred, some fairly recent and others that dated back several years.

Criger wrote that when Goens was interviewed, he maintained his innocence and that if he had touched either one, it would have been by accident. Since Goen has a previous conviction for a sexual offense on his criminal record, he also said he knew better after he got caught the first time and he had learned his lesson. Criger also wrote that Goens said the alleged victims have a bad habit of lying.

During the interview, Criger asked Goens if he was willing to take a polygraph examination and he said yes. Criger scheduled an appointment.

Last week, on Monday, October 7, Sgt. Dan Gress of the Indiana State Police administered a polygraph exam to Goens at the Jasper ISP Post. Sgt. Gress reported Goins failed and he confronted Goens about the results. According to Criger’s affidavit, Gress then asked numerous questions and Goins answered more truthfully, admitting the incidents that had occurred in Solsberry along with details of what took place involving both children.

By the end of the week, last Friday, October 11, Criger and the Greene County Prosecutor’s Office had filed a criminal case against Goens, charges were approved and Magistrate Lucas Rudisill ordered a warrant be issued for the arrest of Goens. He was booked in to the Greene County Jail the next day.

The levels of felony charges in Indiana range from Level 1 down to Level 6 with Level 1 being the most serious, and Goens is facing two Level 1 felonies. Bond was set at $80,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. It would take $8,000 cash for him to bond out. As of late Wednesday, October 16, he had not yet posted bond.

Yesterday, on Tuesday, October 15, Goens appeared before Judge Erik Allen in Greene Circuit Court for an initial hearing and was charged with two counts of child molesting, both as Level 1 felonies. Goens was ordered to have no contact with the two alleged victims. A public defender was not appointed to represent him as he told the court he wanted to obtain his own counsel.

Regarding his criminal record, Goens was registered through the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office on the Sex and Violent Offenders List as a sex offender. According to the registry, he was convicted on October 14, 2009, in Lawrence County of sexual misconduct with a minor and was sentenced to six months on house arrest followed by four years of probation. Other information included on the public registry is a work address listed as Goens Construction on Wagner Road, Solsberry. He was required to register for 10 years starting on the day of his conviction, October 14, 2009. His registration end date was October 14, 2019, just two days after he was booked into the Greene County Jail.