From The Trussville Tribune
BLOUNT COUNTY — A former sergeant with the Oneonta Police Department has pleaded guilty to crimes of a sexual nature with a fifteen year old, according to prosecutors.
The Blount County District Attorney’s Office said the trial of a former police officer for the city of Oneonta was set to begin on Monday in the Blount County Circuit Court. Prosecutors were getting ready to make their opening statement when Nicholas Shane Osborne entered a blind plea to electronic solicitation of a child, sodomy in the second degree, reckless endangerment, and enticing a child for immoral purposes. Pursuant to Osborne’s blind plea, the sentence to be imposed will be decided by the judge at a sentencing hearing to be scheduled for a later date.
“Electronic solicitation of children is a continuously developing dangerous trend,” said District Attorney Pamela L. Casey. “I want to once again remind parents to check your child’s phone. Supervise their time on the computer. Do not leave your children exposed to the dangers presented by social media and the web.”
Electronic solicitation of a child and sodomy in the second degree are Class B felonies, each punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Enticing a child for moral purposes is a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Reckless endangerment is a misdemeanor.
According to court documents, Osborne met a 15-year-old boy on the internet via the Grinder App in May 2017. Later that evening, Osborne met the 15-year-old while Osborne was on duty and drove the 15 year old to a church parking lot in Osborne’s police cruiser where Osborne engaged in deviate sexual intercourse with the minor child. Osborne was 39 years old at the time.
In September 2017, this incident was referred to the Alabama Law Enforcement