ELKINS — A Randolph County man accused of 29 felony counts, including 17 felony counts of sexual abuse by a parent, guardian or custodian, took a plea deal Tuesday morning in Randolph County Circuit Court which reduced his charges to one felony.

Steven David Anderson, 62, of Huttonsville, pled guilty to one count of attempt to commit sexual assault in the first degree, which is a felony. He could face up to no less than one to no more than three years in prison, a fine of $500, will be required to register as sex offender and could face one month up to 50 years of supervised release.

Anderson was indicted in 2023 on 17 felony counts of sexual abuse by a parent, guardian or custodian; two felony counts of sexual assault in the first degree; one felony count of assault during the commission of or attempt to commit a felony; one felony count of wanton endangerment involving a firearm; two felony counts of incest; one felony count of sexual abuse in the first degree; and five felony counts of child abuse resulting in bodily injury. 

According to Lewis and Upshur County Circuit Court Judge Kurt Hall, who presided over the case, Anderson would have had to be “reborn” to fully serve out the sentence of all 29 charges, even if just one or two were run consecutively.

“Now the plea agreement itself, I mean, on its face… might be shocking in its first blush… an observer might say, ‘well, that’s not fair’ or ‘that’s not in the public’s interest’… but when the matters proceed to trial, there’s no certainty in the outcome, and there is certainty in this outcome,” Hall said in court on Tuesday. “We’ve not proceeded on sentencing yet, but if the court accepts the plea, there will be certainty in the outcome at least by way of conviction, there will be certainty in the outcome by way of registration… and there will be certainty in the outcome by way of supervised release in some form or fashion.”

Anderson took an Alford plea, also known as Kennedy plea, meaning Anderson did not have to admit to the criminal act and could assert his innocence, but he still accepted the imposition of a sentence. 

According to his attorney, James Hawkins Jr., the final deal came from a “culmination of negotiations that have been going on for a considerable period of time,” with  Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Christina Harper with the Randolph County Prosecutor’s Office.

Harper informed the court that she had been in contact with the four victims included in the initial indictment throughout the entirety of the case. She stated that she recently spoke with three of the victims about this specific plea agreement while the fourth victim was no longer taking her calls, though Harper was confident that the victim had received the information.

According to Harper, the victims were anxious to not have to testify if a plea could be worked out as they still hold a great deal of trauma.

“Couple of them even expressed specific triggers from even being in Randolph County,” Harper said. “So they are very aware of the plea agreement, very supportive of it and happy that they won’t have to testify on this matter.”

When asked by Hall if she believed that the interest of justice was served with this agreement, Harper said she did as the anxiety and trauma of the victims was the “incentive” to work out a plea agreement.

After Hall accepted the plea agreement, Hawkins asked the court to modify Anderson’s bail to post bail conditions and end his home confinement, which Anderson had been under for around two years, to which Harper requested the court do neither. Hall converted Anderson’s bail to post condition bail and released him from home confinement until sentencing, stating Anderson has been compliant and that the conditions will remain the same to where Anderson can have no contact with any minors.