Published: May 13, 2008 08:24 am            

Man pleads guilty to rape, sodomy charges

Instead of going to trial Monday, a Richmond man pleaded guilty to raping and sodomizing his neighbor in December.

Joshua Ryan Hughley, 20, of McDaniel Drive, accepted a plea agreement with a 15-year sentence each for one count of first-degree sodomy and one count of first-degree rape, said Madison Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Jennifer Hall. The commonwealth recommended that the sentences be served concurrently, for a total sentence of 15 years.

Madison Circuit Judge Julia Hylton Adams took the commonwealth’s recommendation under advisement. Sentencing for Hughley was scheduled for June 12.

In December, Hughley reportedly knocked on the back door of his neighbor’s apartment and asked to use the phone, Richmond Police Sgt. Willard Reardon said previously. The two knew each other indirectly. After the 21-year-old female victim allowed Hughley inside her home, Reardon said Hughley pulled both a kitchen knife and a BB gun.

Hughley reportedly did not injure the woman with the weapons, but verbally threatened her with them, said RPD Chief Larry Brock

“The suspect used force to sexually assault the victim for approximately 30 minutes while in the residence,” Reardon said. “After the assault, the suspect left the scene.”

As soon as the suspect left, the victim called police at 11:19 p.m. to report the assault, Brock said, and was able to identify Hughley as her neighbor. RPD K-9 Bari and his handler, RPD K-9 Officer Kurt Heatherton, tracked Hughley from the victim’s apartment to his own apartment nearby, Brock said.

“They (RPD officers) could see somebody inside,” he said. “Once they made contact with the suspect ... that’s when they confronted him and he admitted his involvement.”

When officers located Hughley at his residence, both the BB gun and kitchen knife used in the assault were recovered.

Hughley has been held since December in the Madison County Detention Center on a $20,000 cash bond.

Kelly Foreman can be reached at kforeman@richmondregister.com or 624-6694.

        

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