Posted: Feb. 8, 2008
Updated: Feb. 13, 2008 11;40 a.m.

A Goochland man employed with the City of Richmond’s child protective services pled guilty Friday to aggravated sexual battery involving a 15-year-old girl.

Craig Allen Ferguson, 35, was indicted in December by a Goochland grand jury on a single count of rape accomplished by using the victim’s mental incapacity or helplessness.

Ferguson entered an Alford plea of guilty to the lesser offense through a plea agreement and Circuit Court Judge Timothy K. Sanner amended the indictment.
An Alford means he did not admit guilt but acknowledged sufficient evidence exists for a conviction.

Ferguson, employed by Richmond’s social services department, met the girl through outreach efforts in his capacity as a volunteer with the Goochland County Fire-Rescue Department.

Richmond’s Public Information Manager Mike Wallace said the city does not comment on employee legal matters but did confirm that Ferguson remains on the city’s payroll, put on administrative leave without pay since his arrest. A query on the city’s Web site listed Ferguson as working in child protective services.

Ferguson’s initial contact with the victim came during Goochland Fire Camp, held July 16-20 last summer, according to Goochland Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Nancy Oglesby.

Though no alleged offenses took place during the camp, the two did exchange e-mail addresses and began communicating shortly thereafter.

Over the next four weeks, between the end of camp and when the alleged offense occurred Aug. 24, Oglesby said Ferguson groomed the victim into a relationship and called her his “hot, sexy, secret wife.”

When he was arrested, authorities found directions to the victim’s home in Ferguson’s vehicle. They also found hundreds of pornographic photographs on his computer, including child anime and one of the victim naked from the waist up, Oglesby added.

While employed by the City of Richmond, she noted, Ferguson received training on how to understand child development and talk to children.

Ferguson made several attempts to meet the girl, including going to the movie theatre at Short Pump Town Center while she was there with a friend on one occasion and also trying to get her to meet him at a street corner on another.

In fact, the only time the child was home alone all summer was on the day of the alleged offense, Oglesby said.

Defense attorney D. Michael Caudill of Richmond told the court he and his client reviewed the evidence and found the plea agreement to be the best option.

“Considering the totality of the circumstances, we ask the court to accept the agreement,” Caudill said, later asking for a pre-sentencing report prior to sentencing, which Sanner scheduled for April 25 at 3 p.m.

That report will include a victim-impact statement and Ferguson will receive a sexual-deviancy evaluation.

He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.