West Virginia man pleads guilty to child neglect, after allegedly striking the child in the face and arms on separate occasions, leaving bruises and a black eye

WELLSBURG, W.Va. — A Follansbee man could face one to three years in state prison and a fine of no more than $1,000 or up to 20 years in a regional jail.

According to news partner Herald-Star , Jacob Fluharty, 35, pleaded guilty to child neglect, resulting in injury in 1st Judicial Circuit Court on Tuesday.

Fluharty was indicted in March 2023 with his wife Brittany Fluharty after a child in their care reported being abused on average three times a day to a teacher.

The indictment alleged that J. Fluharty struck the child in the mouth, causing it to bleed, and failed to protect the child from B. Fluharty, who is accused of striking the child in the face and arms on separate occasions, leaving bruises and a black eye.

In addition to his sentence, Herald-Star reports that Fluharty will also receive a sentence of 10 years of supervised release and the 10-year inclusion on the state’s child abuse and neglect registry.

J. Fluharty is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 25. B. Fluharty’s case is still pending in circuit court.

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