Convicted Sex Offender Headed to Prison for Drug, Child Abuse Convictions

BEATRICE – A 38-year-old Beatrice man has been ordered to serve three-year state prison sentences after being convicted of committing intentional child abuse and distribution of the drug clonazepam.

Jeramy Laflin was sentenced on the charges in two cases by Gage County District Judge Rick Schreiner, on Thursday.

"In your life you have been sentenced to multiple terms of probation, at least three of which have been revoked or you violated. You also been sentenced to multiple terms of incarceration at state prison and federal prison. You also received misconduct reports while you were incarcerated."

The judge noted that the drug conviction involved Laflin selling pills that were prescribed for his use. The child abuse count had been reduced from a charge of 3rd-degree sexual assault of a child, with a prior offense. Laflin had entered an Alford plea on the child abuse count, denying the violation but acknowledging prosecutors likely had enough evidence to convict him in a jury trial. Laflin pleaded guilty on the drug charge. 

Gage County Public Defender Lee Timan said most of Laflin’s criminal history happened between 2000 and 2010.
"He's just asking the court to take into account that he tried to resolve these in a way that didn't put his family through the stress of having to have a contested trial. He didn't make the state have to do much, as far as proving up the drug case. He's just trying to move forward to his life and this, and not take up any more of the court's time."

Laflin was also ordered to serve 18 months post-release supervision on each conviction. The prison terms and supervision in the two cases will run concurrently.

Laflin is a convicted sex offender on a lifetime reporting requirement. He was convicted in Jewell County, Kansas in 2003 of aggravated criminal sodomy with a minor.