EX-COUNSELOR PLEADS GUILTY TO CHILD PORN, DRUG CHARGES

BENTON, Mo. -- A 50-year-old former drug and alcohol counselor pleaded guilty to promoting child pornography and a drug charge Wednesday, authorities said.

William J. Rasmuson Jr. of Cape Girardeau was sentenced to 7 years for child pornography and 3 years for marijuana possession by Associate Circuit Judge Hense Winchester. He was put on five years probation and given suspended sentences.

Originally, Rasmuson was charged with two counts of statutory rape, two counts of promoting child pornography, victim tampering, unlawful use of a weapon and possession of a controlled substance.

Rasmuson had been under investigation for his relationship with a 14-year-old girl for two years prior to being arrested in February last year by the Scott County Sheriff's Department.

At that time, Sheriff Bill Ferrell had said videotapes and photographs showing the suspect's relationship with the girl had been gathered as evidence.

Enough marijuana had been found at a pawn shop in Scott City, Mo., where Rasmuson worked and lived to charge him with a felony.

Last August, after Rasmuson had bonded out of jail, he was arrested again for allegedly threatening, abducting and assaulting a witness in the case pending against him.

The woman, the same who had said she had a sexual relationship with Rasmuson as a juvenile, told Cape Girardeau police that she was abducted at the Scott County courthouse and then taken to Cape Girardeau where she was assaulted.

Rasmuson had worked for several years as a counselor for the Kola Treatment Center.