Published: June 25, 2008 11:56 pm            

Hindson plea set for July 23

Former swim coach faces 16 felony charges

Brian D. Hindson will go to court July 23 in Indianapolis, knowing a federal judge could accept a plea deal which would put the former Kokomo swim coach in prison for 35 years.

U.S. Southern District Court Judge Larry J. McKinney is expected to decide on Hindson’s plea, which calls for a sentence of 25 to 35 years in exchange for Hindson’s conviction on 16 felony counts.

Federal prosecutors announced they’d signed off on the agreement last week, after adding eight more charges to Hindson’s original indictment.

Hindson, 40, was arrested Feb. 6, and is accused of producing, distributing and possessing child pornography. Prosecutors claim Hindson victimized 11 minors between 1998 and 2007, taping girls undressing.

U.S. Attorney Timothy Morrison said last week all but one of the counts against Hindson involve secret taping Hindson performed in the locker rooms of Westfield and Kokomo high schools.

The single count involves child pornography Hindson allegedly downloaded, and which didn’t involve any of the students he taped.

The allegations are based on evidence seized in a Feb. 5 raid of Hindson’s Carmel apartment, including digital images Hindson shot of girls undressing in Kokomo’s Memorial Gym locker room.

Hindson has been in the Marion County Jail awaiting trial since his arrest.

The plea agreement hearing will be 2 p.m. July 23, in Room 202 of the U.S. Southern District Court in downtown Indianapolis.

At the hearing, the judge may either accept the plea agreement and set Hindson’s sentence, or he could accept the plea deal and set sentencing for a future date, said Mary Bippus, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s office in Indianapolis.

McKinney could also reject the plea deal and set a new trial date.

Scott Smith may be reached at (765) 454-8569 or via e-mail at scott.smith@kokomotribune.com

        

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