LEWIS COUNTY, MO — A former La Plata police officer has pleaded guilty and been sentenced in a criminal case involving child sex abuse allegations. Johnathon Taylor admitted to three charges on Thursday in Lewis County after a Missouri State Highway Patrol investigation uncovered accusations that began years earlier.

He had been facing 15 counts after his arrest in March 2024. Prosecutors said the investigation, requested by the La Plata Police Department, found that Taylor sexually assaulted two underage girls on multiple occasions starting in 2017 at different places in Macon County.

How the case against Johnathon Taylor developed

Authorities say the case began with a Highway Patrol investigation into Taylor’s conduct. That inquiry was launched at the request of the La Plata Police Department and later led to a long list of charges.

According to investigators, the abuse involved two victims who were both under 18 when the incidents allegedly began. The assaults were described as occurring on several occasions and at various locations in Macon County, though court records and the public summary of the case do not provide more detail about each episode.

Taylor was arrested in March 2024, and the case moved forward from there with a 15-count filing. The plea entered this week resolved part of that wider prosecution.

Three guilty pleas out of fifteen charges

In court, Taylor pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree statutory sodomy and one count of non-sexual abuse or neglect of a child. Those are the only charges listed as resolved in the court action described Thursday.

The remaining counts were not detailed in the available case summary. Court records show the plea agreement led to sentencing on the three admitted offenses rather than a trial on the full set of allegations.

The guilty plea marks a significant development in a case that had remained pending since Taylor’s arrest last year. It also confirms that the investigation resulted in criminal findings tied to conduct that authorities say stretched back several years.

The prison term and how it will be served

Each of the three counts carries a six-year sentence in the Missouri Department of Corrections. Under the court’s order, two of those terms will run one after the other, while the third will be served at the same time as another sentence.

That structure means Taylor faces a combined prison term shaped by both consecutive and concurrent time. The sentencing arrangement is a key part of how Missouri courts can weigh multiple convictions in a single case.

Court records also show that Taylor was denied probation. That decision means he will not serve his punishment in the community under supervision instead of prison.

Why the investigation was handled by state troopers

The Missouri State Highway Patrol led the investigation after La Plata police asked for help. That type of outside review is often used when allegations involve a former officer or a case that requires added independence and resources.

In this instance, investigators said they learned enough to move forward with serious felony charges. The focus of the case was not an on-duty law enforcement matter, but alleged abuse connected to Taylor’s personal conduct over time.

Because the allegations stretched across years and involved minors, the case drew on a broader investigative process rather than a quick local complaint review. The available court information does not identify any additional agencies or witnesses involved.

What the sentencing means for the community

The case closes a chapter for La Plata and nearby communities that have followed the allegations since Taylor’s arrest. A former officer pleading guilty in a child sex abuse case can be especially troubling because of the trust usually placed in law enforcement personnel.

Even so, the sentencing order reflects only the criminal outcome now on record. The public details released Thursday focus on the plea, the three convictions, and the prison terms, rather than on any broader departmental response.

For now, the case stands as a completed prosecution in Lewis County, with Taylor headed to state prison and probation off the table. The allegations centered on conduct in Macon County, but the sentencing was handled through the Lewis County court system.