A former Liberty University professor pleaded guilty Friday to a single charge of aggravated sexual battery against a student.
Joshua Young Moon, of Durham, N.C., was accused of inappropriately touching a female student in his office last year.
Moon, 45, offered the student massages because she complained of pain from a September 2008 car wreck. Prosecutors said the contact went beyond massages.
Moon taught mathematics at the university and was fired after the incident in connection with being charged with one count of object sexual penetration by force, a school spokesman said after Moon’s arrest in April 2009. He pleaded guilty to the amended charge Friday and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Rebecca Wetzel said.
Lynchburg Circuit Court Judge Mosby Perrow revoked Moon’s $25,000 bond Friday and he was taken into custody.
Prosecutors’ evidence shows Moon inappropriately touched the student during a massage on April 21 in his office, Wetzel said. He was charged two days later.
The student was taking a test and fell asleep, Wetzel said. When she awoke, Moon touched her genitals — Moon covered his office windows during the incident, she said.
Wetzel said Moon apologized to the student and didn’t show up for a class later that day. He had given her massages twice before in her campus home, Wetzel said.
Wetzel also presented evidence of a phone conversation between Moon and the student on April 23. Wetzel said Moon made a comment that he was “seduced by Satan” and asked for the student’s forgiveness.
Two other female students would have testified during a jury trial, Wetzel said. The trial was set for Jan. 25 but Moon’s guilty plea means it will not take place.
Wetzel said the two females stated Moon’s behavior was inappropriate during massage sessions around that time period.
“Their reports are remarkably similar,” Wetzel said.
Wetzel said materials were also seized from Moon’s office computer containing pornographic images related to massages and bondage.
Randy Trost, Moon’s attorney, said the encounter was consensual along with others before it. Trost said Moon had not missed any court appearances while requesting that his bond be kept.
Moon has no prior criminal record, Trost has said.
He was listed on the LU Web site as a supervisor for International Christian Fellowship, a campus club.
Object sexual penetration by force, a felony, carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. Wetzel said she did not consider the amended charge a “compromise” and was very satisfied that Moon had claimed guilt.
It was important to the victim that he publicly confess, Wetzel said.
“At this point there’s no longer a presumption of innocence,” she said. “There was a strong trust factor between her and the defendant.”
Moon’s sentencing is set for March 5.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement