Former police officer sentenced to four to 15 years in prison

Glenn A. Parsons, 26, a former Mountain Home police officer, was sentenced to a minimum of four years with a maximum of 15 years in prison today for separate counts of sexual abuse and sexual battery of a minor child, Attorney General Lawrence Wasden said.

Fourth District Judge Michael Wetherell ordered Parsons to pay $5,000 in restitution. Parsons must also register as a sex offender for life.

Parsons pleaded guilty to the two felony charges on Aug. 14, 2008. By pleading guilty, Parsons admitted that he had sent explicit e-mails to a child under the age of 16. He also admitted to having sexual contact with another child under the age of 18.

Parsons is a former Mountain Home police officer and former court security officer in Elmore County. He was on duty as a court security officer at the time of one of the crimes. He knew his other victim when he was a Mountain Home police officer, although that crime did not occur while he was on duty, and he was released from those duties once city police began their investigation of him, which later was turned over to the Attorney General's office.

"This case, in which the defendant held positions of respect, reminds us again that it is essential that all of us be watchful that those in relationships of trust with children do not seek to exploit that trust," Attorney General Wasden said. "Sexual abusers of children almost always are persons known and trusted by the victim and the victim's family."

The Attorney General's Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case at the request of Elmore County Prosecuting Attorney Kristina Schindele. Deputy Attorney General Josh Taylor prosecuted the case.

For more details, read next week's Mountain Home News.