Sprinkle pleads guilty to remainder of charges
By Debbie Lowe Staff writer

Sprinkle

Convicted child sexual predator Leon Sprinkle had two court dates last week. An omnibus hearing for five Class D felony counts of possession of child pornography was scheduled for Thursday. An omnibus hearing is the final opportunity for a defendant to plead guilty to charges before scheduling a trial.

The second hearing was scheduled for Friday, the day Sprinkle was to be sentenced for an April conviction of attempted child exploitation.

Sprinkle's court-ap- pointed attorney Patrick Manahan was granted a request to combine the two hearings on Friday.

Carroll Circuit Court Judge Donald Currie began Friday's hearing by asking, "Are the parties prepared to go forth with sentencing?"

Manahan informed the court and prosecutor Tricia Thompson at that time his client intended to plead guilty to possession of child pornography charges.Carroll County Sheriff Detective Steve Mullin, the lead investigator in the spring 2006 investigation and June arrest, testified to the facts of the case which formed the basis for Thompson's contention that Sprinkle should receive the maximum sentence for all convictions, 23 years incarceration.

Mullin testified Sprinkle had a two-year relationship with the victim. He owned approximately two computers and three to five video cameras found in the residence he shared with Keith Munson and two other men. Munson pled guilty in Carroll Circuit Court to child molestation in February.

Mullin reported the forensic analysis of Sprinkle's computers revealed more than 10,000 images of child pornography and approximately 180 videos of with similar content. He said more than 65 compact discs containing child pornography were found to be in Sprinkle's possession. Mullin said some of the images depicted acts of $22,400 plus reimbursable expenses for the plan. Those expenses include, but are not limited to, mileage, printing, copying, photography, telephone and fax costs, postage, packing and shipping costs. The total amount of reimbursable costs will not exceed $800. A provision for additional charges was noted in the contract.

The next board of works meeting will be June 4 at 6:30 p.m.