Businessman sentenced on sexual battery charge in Tenn.

A local businessman has been given five years probation, and must register as a sex offender after pleading no contest to sexual battery in a Tennesee courtroom Monday.

According to the LaFollette Press newspaper, Robert Moore was initially charged with seven counts of child rape. Prosecutors claimed that, over a two year period beginning in 2009, Moore sexually assaulted a nine-year-old girl. Those charges were reduced to the single count, officials said, to avoid forcing the girl to testify publicly at trial.

Though he pleaded no contest in the case – essentially denying the charges but admitting prosecutors could likely obtain a conviction against him from a jury – the judge in the case entered a guilty verdict on Moore’s behalf.

The proceedings took place in Campbell County, Tenn. District Court. Moore is owner of several Beltone hearing aid stores in Tenn. and southeast Kentucky, including one in Corbin.

Moore, who lives in LaFollette, is facing other criminal charges in Tenn. as well. He was indicted in July for attempted rape and sexual battery. He is accused in that case of trying to sexually assault a patient at the LaFollette Belton store.