A former Bruin man who pleaded guilty Friday in Common Pleas Court to juvenile sexual assault charges stemming from a 2014 incident involving a young girl was ordered to be evaluated by the Sexual Offender Assessment Board before he is sentenced next year.

Carey Matthew Johns, 44, who now lives in Odebolt, Iowa, but is being held in the county prison, pleaded guilty to charges of statutory assault and endangering the welfare of children that were filed by state police in April 2020.

The plea agreement a prosecutor presented to Judge William R. Shaffer calls for Johns to serve 18 to 36 months in prison for the statutory sexual assault charge followed by an additional six to 24 months for the endangering the welfare of children charge, for a total of 24 to 60 months of incarceration.

The statutory sexual assault charge is a Tier III offense under the state's Megan's Law, said Patricia McLean, first assistant district attorney for Butler Couney.

A person found to be a Tier III sexual offender is required to register with state police and report their address, contact information, place of employment and other information for the rest of their lives. They are also required to report to an approved verification or registration site four times a year.

Shaffer accepted the plea, and set a 90-day deadline for completion of the sexual offender assessment. He said Johns probably will be sentenced sometime next year.

Police began an investigation in December 2018 after receiving a report of child abuse. The victim reported Johns abused her between 2014 and 2016 when she was between 8 and 10 years old in his home in Bruin.

Johns initially was charged with criminal attempt to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault of a person less than 13 years old, corruption of minors, indecent exposure and criminal attempt to commit aggravated indecent assault of a child. The criminal attempt to commit aggravated indecent assault has been withdrawn.

He is being held in prison in lieu of $75,000 bail.