15-year prison sentence given to child molester from Springfield

A man from Springfield has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for child sex crimes he committed in southwest Missouri.

49-year-old Clarence Parks Jr., was given his sentence in Jasper County Tuesday after he entered an Alford Plea to child molestation.

An ‘Alford Plea’ is when a defendant admits there is enough evidence to prosecute them, but they do not admit to the crime itself.

The judge sentenced Parks Jr. based on the fact that he was a repeat offender, including a similar child abuse case in Christian County.