County man pleads no contest to possession of child pornography, sentenced to eight years in prison

A Ponte Vedra Beach man arrested on 20 counts of possession of child pornography was sentenced Thursday to eight years in prison.

Joseph Richardson, 30, pleaded no contest to eight counts of possession of child pornography, which is a second-degree felony and punishable by 15 years in prison. He was immediately taken into custody.

Assistant State Attorney Chris Ferebee dropped the additional 12 possession of child pornography charges.

Judge Michael Traynor also sentenced Richardson to 10 years of sex offender probation and 24 months of community control. He was also designated a sexual offender.

He was arrested in April 2014 after St. Johns County deputies conducted an undercover investigation into the sharing of child pornography.

Detectives think Richardson is connected to a January 2014 incident in Ponte Vedra Beach and one other incident in Duval County, the Sheriff's Office said.

Detectives also found a number of images or videos of child pornography, one involving a child under 5, Ferebee said Thursday.

During the proceedings, Christopher Klemawesch, Richardson's attorney, said Richardson's family and friends have told him Richardson is safe to be around children.

"They have all indicated they are comfortable with him being around their children," he said.

But Traynor emphasized the importance of keeping the children in the community safe.

"I'm concerned for the safety of any children who may come in contact with him," he said. "I have an obligation to protect the children of this town, and I'm going to impose all the restrictions and conditions applicable to a sexual offender."

City man accused of killing K-9 Baron pleads no contest

The St. Augustine man charged in the death of K-9 Baron entered an open plea Thursday.

Brandon Allison, 28, pleaded no contest to killing a police dog, resisting an officer without violence and sale of cocaine.

During the proceedings, Traynor directly addressed Allison.

"I will listen to everything both you and the state present, but the final decision will be up to me," he said.

Allison faces 15 years in prison on the sale of cocaine charge and five years in prison on the killing a police dog charge.

In October, deputies responded to a domestic disturbance on Twin Aspen Circle. Allison, who had a warrant for his arrest for the sale of cocaine, fled into the woods.

Deputies Farrah Ashe and Baron followed him, and Baron got ahead of Ashe. She later found him lying unresponsive in a shallow pool of water.

Traynor accepted the plea, then turned to setting a sentencing date.

"I don't know how many people (witnesses) both sides are planning to call, but I can imagine the state will call a couple," he said.

Allison's attorney, Gary Smolek, said he is planning to call three or four witnesses.

He is scheduled to appear in court for sentencing on May 6.

County man pleads guilty to child molestation

A St. Johns County man pleaded guilty Thursday to lewd or lascivious molestation of a person under 12 and sexual battery by threat.

William Dillow, 27, was facing life in prison on the child molestation charge. But his attorney, Carlton Pierce, said the defense and state agreed to 45 years.

Dillow is set for sentencing on April 30.

Dillow was arrested in February 2014 after children told Flagler County school staff members they had been sexually abused by Dillow and his co-defendant Rhonda Wilkerson.

Neither Dillow nor 49-year-old Wilkerson were employed at the school, the Sheriff's Office said.

Wilkerson, who is from Flagler County, pleaded guilty on Feb. 9 to sexual battery on a minor by a person in familial or custodial authority and principal to sexual battery by threat.

She is set for sentencing on May 6.