Man pleads guilty in cigarette molestation case

Henry Culvyhouse, The Daily Independent, Ashland, Ky.
·1 min read
16

Jun. 5—CATLETTSBURG — A Summit man pleaded guilty Friday to a sexual abuse charge in connection with a September 2020 incident in which he molested a teenager in exchange for a cigarette.

Thomas J. Withrow, 37, pleaded guilty before Boyd County Circuit Court Judge George Davis to a single count of first-degree sexual abuse, in exchange for another count of the same charge being dropped.

Attorney Sebastian Joy and Boyd County Commonwealth Attorney Rhonda Copley said the case was mediated by retired Judge David Flatt.

By pleading guilty to the first-degree sexual abuse charge, he would be given 18 months in prison, which would be time served since he had spent 18 months in the Boyd County Detention Center.

He would also be forbidden any contact with the victim and would remain on bond until his Aug. 12 sentencing, after undergoing a sex offender assessment.

Joy and Copley assured Davis that the victim and the investigating Boyd County deputy in the case consented to the terms of the agreement.

Court records show after Withrow inappropriately touched the girl when she asked for a smoke, he exposed himself to the victim.

Withrow will have to register as a sex offender due to the nature of the offense.

(606) 326-2653 — henry@dailyindependent.com