The Kentucky Court of Appeals has upheld a Franklin Circuit Court decision that Dayton Jones must continue to be registered as a sex offender.
Jones was one of four men who pleaded guilty in 2016 to their roles in the 2014 sexual assault of a 15-year-old male at a party on Lafayette Road and he received a 15-year sentence for the sodomy, wanton endangerment and child porn distribution charges as part of his plea deal.
Former Governor Matt Bevin commuted Jones’ sentence in the final hours of his administration, setting him free from prison, but the Probation and Parole Office still contacted him to register as a sex offender.
Jones’ attorney argued that he should not be required to register, as Bevin’s order said “pardon and commutation” in the title wording and there could be ambiguity about what he intended.
A Franklin circuit judge noted the text in the body of the order specified it was a commutation, which only lessened Jones’ prison sentence, and the Kentucky Court of Appeals ruled unanimously he ruled appropriately.
Jones’ freedom was short-lived as he was federally indicted in April of 2020 for one count of producing child sex abuse material. He faces a mandatory minimum 15-year sentence in federal prison, if convicted on the federal charge. The maximum potential penalties are 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and supervised release of five years up to and including life.
He’ll be required to be registered as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
Click here to read the entire ruling.