Robert Corbin was sentenced in Starke Circuit Court Thursday afternoon.
Corbin pleaded guilty to child seduction as a Class C felony in a previous court setting. Judge Kim Hall accepted the plea agreement that called for a seven-year sentence in the Indiana Department of Corrections. His sentence was broken into three components: 28 months will be served in the Indiana Department of Corrections, 28 months will be served on home detention with electronic monitoring and 28-months was suspended to be served on probation. By pleading guilty, all other counts against Corbin were dropped.
Prior to sentencing, one of the victims gave a statement to the judge. She stated that she’s happy with the plea agreement, and she didn’t think of herself as a victim. She told Judge Hall that she felt that the whole situation was her fault. She said that she knows better now and is glad the case is over.
Corbin was given a chance to make a statement. He sobbed and shook as he apologized to the victims, community, the school corporation, his family, and all involved. He expressed remorse in that he placed a blemish on Knox. He told Judge Hall that the past three years have been very difficult, but the experience has changed him as a person. In closing, he expressed that he’s ready to do what he needs to do to move on with life.
Judge Hall said parents should not have to worry about sending their teenaged children to school for fear that a teacher would engage in sexual activity with them.
As part of Corbin’s sentence, he will be required to attend a sex offender maintenance and management program while incarcerated. He will need to comply with adult sex offender rules and regulations and register as a sex offender when he leaves incarceration.
As a specific condition of his probation, he will not be allowed to teach, instruct or coach any sport with children under the age of 18. No contact orders will remain in effect with the victims throughout the sentence. He is also ordered to surrender his teaching license. Corbin’s attorney, Nicholas Otis, stated that Corbin allowed his license to expire. Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Mary Ryan stated that he wouldn’t be eligible for a teaching license if he attempted to reapply now that he’s been convicted of this type of felony.
He was given a one-day credit for time served.
