LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A former Marshall County High School head football coach pleaded guilty to felony charges of sexual abuse Tuesday.
Kentucky Attorney General Conway announced that Ronald E. Barnard, who was 47 years old, pleaded guilty to the following charges:
1) Promoting a sexual performance by a minor under 18 years old, a class C felony.
2) Unlawful use of electronic means to induce a minor to engage in a sexual performance, a class D felony.
3) Sexual abuse in the first degree, a class D felony.
4) Prohibited use of electronic communications to procure a minor sexual offense, a class D felony.
5) Possession of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor, a class D felony.
6) Distribution of obscene matter to a minor, a class A misdemeanor.
Marshall County Sheriff deputies arrested Barnard on June 4, 2014 after a six-month investigation.
The investigation stemmed from allegations of abuse involving a 15-year-old female student at the school.
Barnard was indicted in May of 2015 for crimes involving another female student, after investigators looked through multiple items from Barnard’s personal computer devices. That student was 17 years old.
The investigation led to the discovery of a fake Twitter account, set up by Barnard, to communicate with students, and allow inappropriate pictures to be exchanged.
“These laws are in place to protect minors from abuse at the hands of adults they trust,” Attorney General Conway said.
Barnard sentencing was scheduled for November 5, 2015 in Marshall Circuit Court. The total sentence agreed to by Barnard was seven years.
The Commonwealth said that it will argue at sentencing that Barnard is not eligible for probation. Barnard will also have to be on the sex offender registry for the next 20 years.
