Todd Fort pleads guilty days before anticipated trial

The court proceedings against former Saline County Chief Deputy Todd Fort were today completed in Saline County Circuit Court.

Fort, who faced trial on numerous sex charges involving a young intern at the sheriff's department, entered a guilty plea to an amended bill of information charging him with fondling the intern.

According to the charge, Fort held "a position of trust, authority or supervision" over the girl who was 17 years old at the time.

Fort was scheduled for trial Monday. He waived that trial to enter the guilty plea. Judge Walden Morris sentenced him to a three-year term in a state institution and sentenced him to pay fines in excess of $10,000. In addition, Fort must register as a sex offender for life.

Numerous charges were dismissed in exchange for the plea to the charge of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and Fort was given credit for time served in the Jackson County Detention Center.