Tim Adkins

tadkins@mtcngroup.com

A former Ashland City police officer who was arrested in February 2013 for allegedly drugging one girl and sexually abusing another girl has pleaded no contest to the charges.

John Clayton "J.C." Fields II, 38, of Ashland City, was originally charged with one count of aggravated sexual battery and three counts of child abuse/neglect.

During a hearing on April 23 in Cheatham County Circuit Court, Fields entered a no contest plea to one count of aggravated assault and three counts of child abuse/neglect.

Assistant district attorney Bob Wilson said the aggravated assault charge is a Class C felony and carries a 3-6 year sentence, while the child abuse/neglect charges are misdemeanors and each carry an 11-month, 29-day sentence.

The state agreed to reduce the aggravated sexual battery charge to aggravated assault. It was also agreed that Fields will serve a three-year sentence.

Circuit Court judge George Sexton will determine how Fields will serve the sentence during an Aug. 11 hearing.

Fields was accused of drugging a 9-year-old girl, who told authorities he gave her a controlled substance, which caused her to have slurred speech and to be unsteady on her feet.

Blood tests revealed the presence of the controlled substance in her system. The incident reportedly took place at Fields' Ashland City home.

The other case involved a 15-year-old girl, who was 13 when the incident occurred.

Fields was also accused of sexually assaulting the girl, whom he was babysitting.

The girl told authorities she fell asleep on a couch at Fields' home and when she woke up she was in his bed and he was sexually abusing her.

Fields remains free on a $100,000 bond.

During last week's hearing, Sexton ordered that the original bond conditions remain the same.

As part of his bond conditions, Fields has been ordered to have no contact with the victims and not be in possession of any firearms.

Fields served as an Ashland City police officer from 2001 to 2008. He left the department to work in Iraq as a contractor for the military.

He was hired as a reserve officer for the department in April 2012, but was later dismissed.