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Jack Slater

WARSAW — A Leesburg man was sentenced today, Jan. 4, in Kosciusko Superior Court I, on a charge of incest.

Jack Slater, 59, 4223 East CR 450N, Leesburg, was charged with incest, a level 5 felony, after a June incident.

On June 25, an officer with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department spoke with a female victim. She advised she had been raped by her father, Slater, on several occasions.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, on June 26, the victim was at Slater’s residence while he was watching a pornographic movie. At one point, Slater took his pants off and demanded the victim remove her pants as well. Slater then molested the victim. After the molestation occurred, Slater told the victim to not tell anyone that they had sex.

The officer spoke with Slater, who admitted to having sexual intercourse with his adult daughter. Slater further admitted to having relations with the victim on two other occasions.

The court noted that Slater had no significant criminal history, but that he was diagnosed with significant mental health issues. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Brad Voelz commented that he was “glad” that Slater had known issues, stating that at least then the situation seems somewhat explained.

Voelz, commenting on the pre-sentence investigation but not publicly reading it, stated that Slater’s testimony was “horrific” and “unspeakable.”

Slater’s attorney Jay Rigdon commented that Slater had sustained a brain injury and had mental limitations even before. Rigdon stated it was “not a conscious choice of immorality,” but rather a result of “neurological deficits.”

Judge David Cates accepted Slater’s plea agreement, finding him guilty of one count of incest. Slater was sentenced to two years at the Indiana Department of Corrections, where he will continue to get treatment for his mental health.

Slater will receive 174 days jail time credit.