By Rupert Howell
A former Panola County Sheriff’s Department employee entered a negotiated plea guilty on a charge of fondling this week in Circuit Court, receiving 15 years of post release supervision, registering as a sex offender and a no contact order with members of the victim’s family as punishment.

Norman Hughes was released on bond after he turned himself in following indicment by a Panola County Grand Jury. He had been dismissed from the sheriff’s department when rumors of the charges surfaced.

A spokesman for the victim’s family said, “We are happy with the negotiated settlement,” noting the child would feel safe with the no-contact order.

The Panolian does not publish names of sex crime victims.

A spokesman for Hughes said that in the “Alford Best Interest Plea—Petition to Enter Plea of Guilt,” Hughes maintained his innocence throughout the process but thought entering the plea would have the best outcome for him and his wife.

Court records indicated a school teacher had been made aware of the juvenile’s statement to another student and upon questioning the student in private, learned of impropriety and reported it to proper authorities.

Since it involved a Sheriff Department employee, the case was immediately turned over to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation to dispel any hint of impropriety in the investigation because of Hughes’ association.

Assistant District Attorney Jay Hale handled the case for the state and attorneys Tommy Defer and John D. Watson were Hughes’ attorneys.