HUNTINGTON, Ind. (Indiana’s NewsCenter) -A Huntington County driving instructor was sentenced Monday afternoon for sexually abusing two teenage boys.
48-year-old Gary Town was sentenced to 2 years jail time and 3 1/2 years on probation with electronic monitoring. He'll also be required to register as a sex offender.
Town was convicted in September of sexual battery and sexual misconduct with a minor after seven hours of jury deliberations. The jury was hung on an additional count of sexual battery.
Two male driving students testified at trial that Town fondled them and made inappropriate verbal and sexual advances during driving sessions.
During sentencing Monday, 19 people took the stand as character witnesses for Town. Friends, family members, past students, and religious leaders all spoke about the upstanding man they believe Town to be. They spoke of his integrity, Christian faith, gentle nature, and great work he's done within the community.
Town, a married father of three, also spoke in court and said his intent was never sexual. He said it was a part of his tactile teaching method, and the boys misinterpreted his gestures.
However, Prosecutor Jamie Groves says the contact went well beyond touching. The boys testified Town touched their genital areas over their clothing and make sexual comments during drivers education courses. He was also accused of grabbing one of the boys in a restroom at the Northeast Indiana Driving Academy, rubbing his stomach and chest, and pinching his nipples.
The victims took the stand during sentencing, both saying they want this entire experience to be over. One said, "He broke that trust that a teacher gets from a student."
A piece of information not mentioned during the trial includes similar allegations made in past years against Town. All including claims from young boys, Town has been accused of fondling kids in Fulton County, Howard County, and Tippecanoe County as recently as 2005. While none of those claims resulted in charges, one involving a 12 year old boy was substantiated by the Department of Child Services in Fulton County.
Defense Attorney Bob Gevers said Town would not be rehabilitated by time in prison. He questioned witnesses about health issues Town has with his back, and the support he provides for his ailing mother and wife's parents. He pushed for a suspended sentence or electronic home monitoring.
Groves, however, pointed to Town's abuse of power and refusal to admit guilt. He requested an eight year sentence, calling Town a predator who has manipulated people into believing him.
In the end, the judge took aggravating and mitigating circumstances into account and sentenced Town to the advisory sentence for both charges. He also said he believed Town was guilty, and the jury got it right back in September.
Town says he will appeal. He is also headed to court in Grant County in February for similar charges of fondling two male driving students. That brings the total number of boys accusing Town of misconduct to seven.
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