 ORD, Neb. - Former Valley County deputy sheriff LeRoy Svoboda, 68, was sentenced yesterday in Valley County District Court on two felony counts of abuse of a vulneralable adult.
Svoboda was arrested March 17, 2009 by the the Nebraska State Patrol. Svoboda fathered a child with a 28 year old mentally challenged woman.
A licensed psychologist interviewed the woman and concluded that she is not able to
give consent for sex.
The woman gave birth to a daughter January 26, 2009. A paternity test proved Svoboda was the father.
Svoboda pleaded no contest to the charges and was sentenced to 60 days in county jail, 2 years probation and 200 hours of community service by District Judge Mark Kozisek. Svoboda will receive credit for 20 days served and will have to register as a sex offender.
The two felony abuse counts carried a maximum sentence of up to 5 years in prison, a $10,000 fine or both on each count. Svoboda was initially charged with 1st degree sexual assault and faced up to 50 years in prison.
Svoboda had been in law enforcement for more than 3 decades; last employed as a deputy sheriff in Greeley County. He worked part time for the Ord Police Department.
In May 2008 with the appointment of Valley County Sheriff Casey Hurlburt, Svoboda, then a Valley County deputy was not reappointed. Svoboda filed an equal employment opportunity complaint resolved in favor of the Sheriff's Department.
According to Hurlburt, Svoboda's criminal case was turned over to the Nebraska State Patrol early in the investigation.
Editor's notes: According to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services the child fathered by Svoboda remains a ward of the state.
Svoboda was booked in to the Valley County Jail Wednesday at 10:40 am to begin serving his sentence.
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