A 51-year-old Bartholomew County man linked to an investigation into a series of child molestations during a nine-year period has been arrested and faces a July 12 jury trial in Jackson Circuit Court.

Charles A. Allman of Columbus appeared in court Thursday for his initial hearing on charges that include 10 Class A felony counts of child molesting or attempted child molesting.

Allman also faces three Class C felony counts of vicarious sexual gratification; one Class D felony count of vicarious sexual gratification; two Class B felony counts of sexual misconduct; and one Class D felony count of child solicitation.

Jackson Circuit Judge Richard W. Poynter set Allman’s bond at $150,000 and ordered him to not have any contact with the complainant, who is now a 22-year-old woman.

“I’m looking forward to being able to help the victim work through this,” said AmyMarie Travis, Jackson County prosecutor.

The investigation into the incidents began after Bartholomew County Department of Child Protective Services received reports from a woman who had concerns about Allman and his conduct with a 14-year-old girl in 2015.

Columbus Detective Brian Plummer led an investigation that began in October 2015 when he interviewed the girl and her mother. The 22-year-old woman was interviewed during the same time period and talked about incidents in which she said had been molested by Allman.

She told investigators the incidents started in 1999 when she was 5 and continued until she was 17.

Most of the incidents occurred at residences in the Seymour area, but some happened while the two were alone on fishing trips at Cypress Lake north of Seymour and Mill Race Park in Columbus, according to court records.

“(Filings for) child molesting cases can be done up until the victim is 31 years of age,” Travis said. “This allows victims to come to terms as an adult and make a late report.”

Class A felony charges do not have a statute of limitations.

“Vicarious sexual misconduct was formerly known as criminal sexual deviant behavior,” Travis said. “However, lawmakers felt the charge contained too many crimes, and juries had a right to know what exactly the defendant was being accused of.”

The child molesting charges are Class A felonies because they involve intercourse or deviant sexual behavior with a victim less than 14 years of age.

Poynter agreed to appoint a public defender to handle Allman’s case.

If convicted of the Class A felonies, Allman faces a potential sentence of 20 to 50 years in prison for each count.