Man pleads guilty to molestation

(Tulsa-AP) -- A Tulsa prosecutor has recommended a Sand Springs man serve 20 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of lewd molestation. Forty-six-year-old Ricky Thurston Welch admitted

Wednesday, August 16th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Tulsa-AP) -- A Tulsa prosecutor has recommended a Sand Springs man serve 20 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of lewd molestation. Forty-six-year-old Ricky Thurston Welch admitted yesterday tha the molested a girl who also was the victim in related Tulsa County sex-crime cases.

As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to dismissed seven felony counts involving the same girl. Those counts included three counts of lewd molestation and three counts of rape. Welch was charged with committing a series of offenses in 1997and 1998 involving a girl who is now 17 years old. Meanwhile, the girl's mother was sentenced yesterday in Ottawa County to 45 years in prison. As part of a plea agreement, Heike Julian pleaded no contest in July to counts of child abuse and possessing or procuring obscene material.