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A Pocahontas man pled guilty to several charges in Rockbridge County Circuit Court on Jan. 24, while maintaining his innocence.
Brandon Anderson, 35, entered Alford pleas to one felony charge of abduction by force or intimidation and three misdemeanors: assault and battery, attempted sexual battery and animal cruelty.
When defendants enter an Alford plea, they maintain their innocence of the charges, but acknowledge that the evidence against them is strong enough that a trial would likely result in a conviction.
Anderson was sentenced to five years in prison for the abduction charge with 2.5 years suspended. Each misdemeanor plea came with a suspended sentence of one year in jail. Following his release from prison, Anderson will be on probation for five years.
Anderson was arrested on Dec. 17, 2021 after Rockbridge County deputies responded to an incident on Longhollow Road in which the caller reported hearing gunshots. Upon arriving at the scene, the deputies learned that Anderson had been in the house with a female when a fight broke out after he allegedly hit or kicked her dog.
During the resulting argument, Anderson allegedly exposed himself and, according to the caller, hit the victim and threatened to rape her. Anderson was eventually chased off of the property before deputies arrived.
He was later arrested and charged with a pair of felonies: attempted rape and abduction by force or intimidation. He was also charged with three misdemeanors: indecent exposure, assault and battery and animal cruelty.
He was indicted on those charges by a Rockbridge County on Feb. 7, 2022, along with an additional felony: abduction with intent to defile. That charge was dropped as part of the plea deal, as was the indecent exposure charge, and the attempted rape charge was reduced to attempted sexual battery.
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Adam LaFon told The News-Gazette that the purpose of plea agreements such as this was “meeting the demands of justice” and that this agreement “facilitates that [in this case].” Anderson’s defense attorney Brandon Baker reiterated that his client “maintains his innocence” of the charges.
