By Herald Staff

Albrecht

A former youth mentor has been sentenced to 30 years in the Indiana Department of Correction after being convicted by jury trial in early September on two counts of child molesting

Charges in the case and subsequent conviction of Nathan C. Albrecht, 28, Ferdinand, stem from an investigation that began on Aug. 20, 2019. At that time, Officer Christian Gogel of the Ferdinand Police Department met with the mother of the victim, who had filed a report alleging the ongoing child molestation of her child by Albrecht for a period of sixt to nine months. The victim’s mother told officers that her child was involved in a group called Mentors for Youth and that Albrecht had been the victim’s mentor for two years.

A forensic interview was conducted by the Southwest Indiana Child Advocacy Center in Jasper on Augu. 22, 2019. During that interview, the victim confirmed Albrecht had abused the victim on more than one occasion. The victim also reported to forensic interviewers that the abuse began toward the end of the last school year and continued through up to two weeks before his mother notified police.

On Aug. 23, 2019, Albrecht was arrested and charged with child molestation and child seduction.

The jury trial, the first in Dubois County since the COVID-19 pandemic began, was held over two days. Albrecht was convicted of two counts of child molestation as Level 1 felonies and one count of performance harmful to a minor as a Level 6 felony.

At the sentencing hearing on Oct. 1, the prosecutor’s office argued for a lengthy sentence, which the judge handed down, ordering Albrecht to serve 30 years in the Indiana Department of Correction. Albrecht will have to serve at least 85 percent of that sentence before he will be eligible for release.

“The strong sentence we obtained in this case reflects the severity of the crime," said Dubois County Prosecutor Anthony Quinn. "I am pleased we were able to bring justice to the victim. We will continue our tireless work to protect vulnerable youth in our community.”