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Former Union Local basketball coach Joby Barr will spend the maximum agreed-upon sentence in prison for third-degree felony sexual battery of a student.
Barr will spend 30 months -- two and a half years -- behind bars and was designated a Tier 3 sex offender, with the requirement to register his address with his local sheriff every 90 days for life.
After pleading no contest at the end of April, Barr was found guilty by Belmont County Common Pleas Judge John Vavra. The maximum sentence under the law is five years, but the prosecution and defense had agreed to a sentence of 18-30 months.
On Monday, Belmont County Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan recommended the higher end of that range.
"This statute is geared toward influence. That is very, very important because what may otherwise turn out to be a consensual relationship is absolutely illegal under the parameters of the statute. ... That statute comes back to influence," Flanagan said. "Having a coach and student-athlete together is one of the main focuses."
Flanagan added that Barr was already receiving less than the maximum of five years through the plea agreement.
Barr also spoke.
"I would like to apologize to everyone that's been affected by this situation ... ," he said. "This isn't who I am. I'm very sorry. I put myself in a situation where I made a bad decision and a mistake and found myself here, and I can promise you it will never happen again."
Vavra agreed with Flanagan that the law holds this as a serious violation, adding that the law also considers the status of the victim as a student as well as that of the perpetrator.
"It doesn't matter if there was consent. It doesn't matter what the age is. All that matters ... is proof of those two positions of status," Vavra said. "Mr. Barr, it greatly concerns the court that you have engaged in what I consider to be victim shaming. It doesn't matter what the circumstances were."
He said while most third-degree felonies carry a maximum sentence of three years, this offense carries a five-year sentence. Vavra added that the victim has suffered continuing psychological harm.
"Mr. Barr preyed upon and groomed his victim, knowing full-well the wrongfulness of his conduct. That cannot be disputed," Vavra said, adding he believes the coaching position facilitated the crime.
Afterward, Flanagan said the sentence was appropriate and that such crimes are wide-ranging, potentially doing harm to the community and its trust in the school system.