Earlier this year, a Solsberry man accused of child molesting took responsibility for his actions and straight-up pleaded guilty. Last week, without a plea agreement, he was sentenced in Greene Circuit Court.

Austin Christopher Feltner was arrested on October 16, 2018, then charged in Greene Circuit Court with two counts of child molesting, both Level 3 felonies. Feltner, from Solsberry, was 22 at the time.

When the teen victim was interviewed, the teen shared information and details about alleged verbal and physical sexual advances and inappropriate behavior that had occurred numerous times over a period of three years, starting when the child was 12.

Feltner’s bond was set at $30,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. He posted $3,000, was released, and retained Defense Attorney Joseph Lozano to represent him.

This past February, without entering into a negotiated plea agreement, Feltner changed his plea to guilty of one count of child molesting, a Level 3 felony. The court entered a judgement of conviction and set a date for a sentencing hearing, which ended up getting pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic emergency.

Last Thursday, June 25, Feltner, now 24 years old, was back in Greene Circuit Court for the sentencing hearing along with his attorney and Greene County Prosecutor Jarrod Holtsclaw.

In Greene Circuit Judge Erik Allen’s sentencing order, he said there were mitigating factors that were taken into account in handing down Feltner’s sentence. They included the fact that Feltner pled guilty and accepted responsibility for his actions, that he had no substantial criminal history, and that he was likely to respond affirmatively to probation or short-term incarceration.

Another mitigating factor was that a representative for the victim made a statement and said the victim recommended Feltner serve one year in jail then be put on probation. Judge Allen’s order states the court wanted to be respectful of the victim’s recommendation.

Feltner was sentenced to eight years in prison, with four years suspended, leaving four to serve. He was given credit for eight days already served. Feltner is to serve the first two years of his sentence in the Indiana Department of Corrections. The balance of two years may be served on work release through the Greene County Community Corrections Program, if he is eligible for the program.

After Feltner has served his time, he will be on supervised probation for four years.

Feltner is further required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Last Friday, by 10 a.m., Feltner was booked into the Greene County Jail to begin serving his sentence.