MUNCIE, Ind. — The former director of the Muncie Animal Shelter was sentenced Wednesday for the charge of sexual misconduct with a minor.
A Delaware County judge sentenced Philip Peckinpaugh to two years in prison, followed by one year of supervised probation.
NOTE: The video in the player above is from a Nov. 22, 2021, report about Peckinpaugh taking a plea deal.
Peckinpaugh was facing two felony counts of sexual misconduct with a minor and the felonies of child solicitation, possession of child pornography and dissemination of matter harmful to minors. However, in November 2021, Peckinpaugh took a plea deal and all charges were dismissed except for one count of felony sexual misconduct with a minor.
According to court documents, in May of 2020, Peckinpaugh's then-wife had tried to text him one night and he had not responded. She told officers she then heard a noise and went to a guest room where her husband was in bed. He told her to leave him alone, and that is when she noticed someone else was in bed with him.
Investigators said the victim told them that Peckinpaugh began messaging her months earlier. Over time, she told them the messages turned flirtatious. The victim said Peckinpaugh had asked for naked pictures of her when she was 15 years old and eventually things turned physical. According to court documents, Peckinpaugh admitted to investigators he had a relationship with the girl.
As part of his sentence, Peckinpaugh will be required to register as a sex offender and the court has recommended the Indiana Department of Correction put him in a facility where he can participate in the Sexual Offender Management and Monitoring Program.
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