Weeping uncontrollably in open court, a Richmond man admitted his guilt Thursday to a string of sexual misconduct charges involving children in the Madison County area and urged the judge to sentence him immediately.
“I want to get this over with,” Herbert Hager said as he reached for a box of tissue.
Hager, 31, of the 300 block of High Street, was sentenced to six years in prison on 10 counts of attempting to commit an unlawful transaction with a minor and 12 months in jail on two separate charges of stalking in the second degree by Judge Julie Milton Adams.
Hager, who was represented during the pretrial conference by public defender Scott West, waived his right to a trial by jury, the right to bring forth witnesses on his behalf and his right to an appeal.
“I don’t want an appeal,” Hager told Judge Adams.
Hager, who was first arrested in April of this year, initially pled not guilty to charges that he had approached and attempted to solicit sex from several minors in Richmond. The charges were filed with the Richmond Police Department after a middle school student told a teacher about his encounter with Hager.
“He started out asking them questions like, ‘What’s your name?’, ‘Where are you going?’ and ‘How old are you?’— inappropriate actions that adults should not be doing to kids,” Richmond Police Department Sgt. Willard Reardon said at the time of Hager’s arrest.
Just how inappropriate his actions were came to light as the description of his crimes were read aloud by Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Hall. Instead of stating an admission of guilt in his own words, Judge Adams ordered that Hager answer ‘yes’ to the questions set forth in the indictment.
With a quiet, “Yes”, Hager admitted that he approached several minors in 2007 and 2008 with the offer of money, and in some cases, drugs, in return for sexual contact. Reading off a list of charges, Hall said Hager had approached minor children under the age of 16 at various spots in downtown Richmond, including a pawn shop, CVS and the local public library.
“We state that you (Hager) approached a 14-year-old minor at Wade’s Pawn Shop, followed him out of the store, unzipped your pants and exposed yourself,” Hall read to Hager.
“Is that true?” the judge asked.
“Yes,” Hager said.
Hager also admitted to approaching children at the Madison County Public Library and attempting to engage them in sexual activity. One instance occurred when Hager approached a minor at the bike racks in front of the library and offered him $300 for oral sex, Hall said.
On another occasion, Hager followed a child to the library from the CVS Pharmacy on Main Street, “making sexual gestures,” Hall stated.
Another solicitation was made when Hager followed a minor male down the road as he was walking to Madison Middle School and “told him that you were going to molest him, asked him to allow you to molest him,” Hall stated in court.
“Is that true?” Adams asked.
“Yes,” Hager said.
Hager, who Adams said was competent to stand trial before the start of the hearing, was evaluated by state psychiatrist Dr. Amy Trivette on May 12 of this year. Trivette, a state employed psychiatrist, said Hager was “competent” to understand and participate in all legal proceedings.
Hager, whom the judge said was “very emotional” during the hearing, refused repeated offers from the judge to take a recess or confer with his lawyer. Instead, Hager insisted he wanted to plead guilty “for the charges I did.”
Hager admitted to all counts in the indictment.
As Judge Adams accepted Hager’s plea, West stepped in once again on the behalf of his client.
West said Hager felt as if he was “rotting in isolation” and that although West had “painted a grim picture” of sentencing in the case, Hager wanted to go forward with sentencing immediately, waiving all pre-sentencing hearings. West also expressed Hager’s need to get into a sexual offender program and suggested that he did not want to see Hager “slip into” a mental health situation.
“It would help me,” Hager said.
Hager’s sentences will run concurrently and he will bear an additional five years of probation after that sentence.
“You are going to also have to register as a sex offender,” Adams told Hager. “I’m going to order a sex offender evaluation and see that a DNA sample is given to the correctional department.”
Before being escorted from court, Adams said even after Hager’s prison sentence has concluded, he will have to “refrain from being around children, pornography” and all the other terms which come with being a convicted sexual predator.
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Hager pleads guilty to sex charges
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Judge weighs constitutionality of legislative redistricting
Kentucky’s deadline for filing to run for legislative seats was in flux on Monday because a judge did not immediately rule on a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of newly redrawn district boundaries.
Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd said he expects to enter a ruling in the case by mid-week.
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A couple was hospitalized after their home was set ablaze Sunday by a spark from a cigar, according to a county fire official.
County Fire Chief Jim Cox said the city and county fire departments were called to the home at 111 Concord Road in the early afternoon. Waco Volunteer Fire Department and the Richmond Fire Department also responded.
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A Richmond country club is no longer offering dining to members, but remains available for catered events and will be open on certain holidays.
Arlington Country Club, which has been a staple of Eastern Kentucky University for the past 40 years, laid off all dining staff late last week, according to Tom Coffey of the EKU Foundation.
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Standoff at Super 8 Motel ends peacefully
A bizarre drug-fueled standoff at the Richmond Super 8 Motel ended peacefully with no one hurt, including a child who was in the room with a man that police found wielding two knives.
About 1:53 a.m. Friday, police received a call about a man who was threatening someone with a knife at the motel on North Keeneland Drive, according to Richmond Police Chief Larry Brock.
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Trial for couple accused of human trafficking delayed
The trial for a Berea couple accused of human trafficking involving their daughters has been delayed.
Despite Monday morning television reports that the trial was beginning Monday, it was postponed because the attorneys are not ready to try the case.
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Richmond man charged with child porn possession
(Editor’s note: The following story contains graphic information some readers may find offensive.)
A Richmond man has been arrested for possession of child pornography as a result of a nearly one-year investigation by local police.
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Noted author to deliver keynote address for Black History Month
Almost a year ago, Arnold Rampersad stood in the East Room of the White House as he was presented the National Humanities Medal by President Barack Obama.
On Thursday, Feb. 16, the noted author will stand in O’Donnell Hall of Eastern Kentucky University’s Student Success Building to deliver the keynote address for the university’s Black History Month observance. Rampersad’s visit is also part of Eastern’s year-long Chautauqua lecture series, and the title of his talk, “Black History: The Challenge of Living with Others,” coincides with this year’s Chautauqua theme, “Living with Others: Challenges and Promises.” -
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity of Madison and Clark Counties, which has built 160 homes for people in need since 1992, is seeking applicants for partner families, according to Judy Flavell, executive director of the organization.
“We really need applicants right now,” Flavell said. “More people can qualify for Habitat homes than people realize.”
Eligible applicants must have lived in Madison or Clark counties for at least one year, have a stable income, be able to pay a modest monthly mortgage and be able to demonstrate that their current housing is overcrowded, physically substandard, too expensive, unsafe, or they are living in subsidized housing, according to Habitat.
For more information about eligibility, or to apply, call Habitat for Humanity at 625-9208 or visit its office at 1417 East Main Street in Richmond. Visit online at habitatmadisonclark.org. -
Occupational therapy dept. at EKU offers program for adults with memory loss
For local adults who are experiencing memory loss related to dementia or Alzheimer’s, the Department of Occupational Therapy at Eastern Kentucky University has provided “The Place to Be” for the past two decades.
The department will again sponsor the free eight-week program on Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., beginning Feb. 9. Participants can attend Thursday and/or Friday. Applications still are being accepted (call 893-0653) for the free service, which is offered in Room 100 of the Dizney Building on EKU’s campus. -
Bible Belt towns in state consider going ‘wet’
In this Appalachian college town where socially conservative views are bedrocks of life, some people want to do what was once unthinkable: legalize liquor sales.
Supporters say passing the measure in Tuesday’s special election in Barbourville would tap a new revenue source in a place where hundreds of jobs are evaporating as one plant shuts down and another cuts its workforce in half. But from the pulpits to the courthouse square, opponents have been pressing their case that uncorking liquor sales would irreparably harm the town of about 3,200. - More Local News Headlines
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