Ex-Texas sheriff pleads guilty in sex assault case (AP)

[Yahoo!_news]

AP - A former North Texas sheriff has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman, telling her sex was the only way to avoid going to jail for drug possession.

Former Montague County Sheriff Bill Keating, 62, faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced in May for the civil rights violation.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert K. Roach did not detain Keating, saying he did not pose harm to the community and wasn't a flight risk because of his family ties to the area. But Roach ordered Keating, who recently surrendered his Texas peace officer's license, to hand over his weapons and meet other conditions.

Keating refused to comment as he left the courthouse.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Calvert said after the Thursday hearing that the case "can and should serve as a wake-up call to all individuals who hold positions of trust."

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