Brazil man pleads guilty to child molesting charges, some dating back to 2002

COURTESY CLAY COUNTY JUSTICE CENTER - Harley Wilbur Wilson III, 42

A Brazil man pled guilty to three felony charges of child molesting in Clay Superior Court Wednesday.

Harley Wilbur Wilson III, 42, was sentenced by Senior Judge Blaine Akers after the judge accepted a plea agreement arranged on Wilson’s behalf by Defense Attorney Michael S. Brewer and Clay County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Zachary Clapp.

Clapp said the victims and their families were informed and agreed with the terms of the plea agreement presented in Wednesday’s case.

The victims did not make an impact statement or testify but chose to be present during the court proceedings.

Two separate criminal cases were combined during Wilson’s court proceedings.

Wilson pleaded guilty to Class A felony Child Molesting and Level 1 Felony Child Molesting charges stemming from an investigation by the Clay County Sheriff’s Department into allegations involving two victims under the age of 14, dating back to 2012.

After his arrest on the charges in November 2017 and media coverage of the case, another victim came forward, leading to a second investigation.

Wilson was charged with child molesting of two more victims under the age of 14 (dating back to 2002) while still incarcerated at the Clay County Justice Center in January 2018.

Wilson pled guilty to Class A felony and a Level 1 felony Child Molesting in the 2018 case, and a Class A Felony Child Molesting in the 2017 case.

According to the terms of the plea agreement, all three sentences will run concurrent (all served at the same time), with Wilson sentenced to serve 25 years, 5 of which are suspended to probation.

Wilson will also have to register as a sexually violent predator for the remainder of his life and follow all the terms and conditions of Indiana statute upon release.

Judge Akers also agreed to request the Indiana Department of Correction place Wilson at the New Castle Correctional Facility to serve his sentence.

Because Wilson is a Credit Restricted Felon, he will have to serve six days to receive one credited day for Good Time Credit.

When Akers asked Wilson if he understood the terms of his plea agreement, he said yes before being returned to the custody of the Clay County Sheriff’s Department to begin formal processing by the Indiana Department of Corrections.