Update: Kenneth Mullens found guilty - NBC12 - WWBT - Richmond, VA News On Your Side

HENRICO, VA (WWBT) - A plea agreement was reached today in a child sex crime case involving a former Christian youth worker.

Kenneth Mullens was supposed to go on trial this morning, but instead pleaded guilty to nine counts of misdemeanor sexual battery.

Mullens avoided our camera and a trial with this plea agreement. 

The special prosecutor brought in from Richmond said it kept victims from reliving graphic and intimate details on the stand.

A soft spoken Mullens repeated the word guilty nine times to a judge, the end result to a case brought to light last November.

"I'm happy.  I was hoping the outcome of this would come to terms with what he did," said David Amadee.

Amadee said he was a friend of Mullens and his student when Mullens taught at a local theater organization.  

Now self employed, Mullens worked at Landmark Christian School in Henrico and Christian Youth Theater Richmond.

"I was extremely disappointed in Kenny as a friend and somebody who used to look up to him," said Amadee.

Mullens was charged with 11 felony indecent liberties counts. But, the Commonwealth agreed to not prosecute two and amended the rest to sexual battery of two teenage boys between April 2007 and March 2010.

Mullens was sentenced to 12 months on eight charges with 12 months suspended for 10 years.

He'll serve eight months in jail on the 9th count.

According to court documents, the abuse in Henrico that involved sex toys, masturbation and oral sex, took place at Mullens' former house on Cedar Fork Road, the storage room and stairwell at the Landmark Christian School and a catwalk at the Steward School. 

The prosecutor said a suspended sentence ensures Mullens could be brought back before a judge should he violate his plea deal.

Mullens can't have contact with the victims and must register as a sex offender.

"I don't think it's the jail time that's important. I think it's the fact that it's not a secret anymore," said Amadee.

Mullens will begin his eight months jail sentence early next month.

Mullens still faces two felony indecent liberties charges in Richmond.  His trial there is set for mid-December. 

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