CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A Kanawha County man admitted Friday in Kanawha Circuit Court that he had repeated sexual contact with an 8-year-old girl between February 2007 and May 2008.

Police charged William Ivan Murphy, 31, with 38 counts of first-degree abuse and 38 counts of sexual abuse by a parent, guardian or custodian in May. Two months later, a grand jury returned an eight-count indictment against him.

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He told Chief Kanawha Circuit Judge Jennifer Bailey Walker that the incidents happened in his house, first in Charleston, then in Sissonville.

"The victim was with me in my bedroom at the time of the incident," he said, describing one of the charges. "I touched her in inappropriate places on her vagina. It continued for over a year."

Because the victim was under the age of 11 and Murphy was over the age of 18, the first-degree sexual abuse charges carry sentences of 5 to 25 years in prison, Kanawha County assistant prosecutor Dan Holstein said. Murphy faces a maximum sentence of up to 90 years in prison.

Walker granted defense attorney Gail Michelson's motion for a sex-offender evaluation, which will include a psychiatric report.

The judge revoked Murphy's bond, which had been set at $500,000, and remanded him to custody. Murphy's sentencing is set for Dec. 8.

Home confinement revoked

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A Kanawha County man admitted Friday in Kanawha Circuit Court that he had repeated sexual contact with an 8-year-old girl between February 2007 and May 2008.

Police charged William Ivan Murphy, 31, with 38 counts of first-degree abuse and 38 counts of sexual abuse by a parent, guardian or custodian in May. Two months later, a grand jury returned an eight-count indictment against him.

Murphy pleaded guilty to two counts each of first-degree sexual abuse and sexual abuse by a parent, guardian or custodian.

He told Chief Kanawha Circuit Judge Jennifer Bailey Walker that the incidents happened in his house, first in Charleston, then in Sissonville.

"The victim was with me in my bedroom at the time of the incident," he said, describing one of the charges. "I touched her in inappropriate places on her vagina. It continued for over a year."

Because the victim was under the age of 11 and Murphy was over the age of 18, the first-degree sexual abuse charges carry sentences of 5 to 25 years in prison, Kanawha County assistant prosecutor Dan Holstein said. Murphy faces a maximum sentence of up to 90 years in prison.

Walker granted defense attorney Gail Michelson's motion for a sex-offender evaluation, which will include a psychiatric report.

The judge revoked Murphy's bond, which had been set at $500,000, and remanded him to custody. Murphy's sentencing is set for Dec. 8.

Home confinement revoked

In other circuit court news, the home confinement of a St. Albans woman accused of starving her infant child to death was revoked after a random drug test came back positive for painkillers.

Stephanie Ann Raines, 27, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her 3-month-old son in 2005. In May, Kanawha Circuit Judge Charles King placed her on home confinement as she awaits trial.

Kanawha County assistant prosecutor Maryclaire Akers said Raines had been staying with her grandparents, and had apparently taken some Darvocet, one of the pain medications her grandfather was using to treat his cancer.

Defense attorney Barron Helgoe said Raines was in a car accident, and she knocked out a tooth when her head hit the dashboard. She took the painkillers to deal with her injury, he said.

Raines is in the midst of a high-risk pregnancy, Helgoe said. He asked the judge to place her on home confinement so that she could continue to go to her weekly appointments.

"I am seriously concerned about her health" and the health of her unborn child, he said.

King revoked her bond and sent her to jail. Raines put her face in her hands and wept, then turned and blew a kiss to her mother in the gallery as the bailiff led her out of the courtroom.

Reach Andrew Clevenger at acleven...@wvgazette.com">acleven...@wvgazette.com or 348-1723.