Man pleads guilty in 1980 Louisa sexual assault

More than 30 years after a man sexually abused a 10-year-old girl in Louisa County, he pleaded guilty Thursday to charges of sodomy and taking indecent liberties with a child.
Richard Clinton Moore Jr., 58, was convicted for crimes that took place in 1980 and 1981, when the girl was about 10.

Moore had been accused of sexually abusing the girl in 1987, and even though the allegation was determined to be founded by social-services officials in Louisa and forwarded to county law-enforcement officials, no charges were placed, authorities confirmed Thursday.
Moore had admitted in 1987 to abusing the girl and said he could not control his urges when around children, prosecutors said in court Thursday.
Authorities began a new investigation last year after the victim wrote a letter to the Virginia Commonwealth’s Attorney Services Council — seeking justice more than 20 years after authorities declined to charge Moore.
Louisa Commonwealth’s Attorney Tom Garrett, who took office in January 2008, was informed of the letter and asked the Louisa Sheriff’s Office to investigate the allegation.

Moore was arrested Feb. 25 on the two felony charges.
It is unclear why he wasn’t charged in 1987.
“I don’t know what happened 20-plus years ago, but it’s disappointing that a case of this nature takes this amount of time to reach a successful conclusion,” Garrett said, adding that he was happy with the final result.
Henry A. Kennon was Louisa’s sheriff at the time. He died in 2000.

The current sheriff, Ashland Fortune, was unavailable for comment Thursday. Maj. Donald A. Lowe said it would be inappropriate to comment at length about the handling of an investigation by a previous sheriff’s administration.
Lowe said investigators are better trained now and place a strong emphasis on solving sex crimes, and that such a case would never fall through the cracks nowadays.
Moore will face up to 13 years in prison when he is sentenced Oct. 9.