Former Lebanon Municipal Court Judge Larry Kenneth Houchin pleaded guilty this afternoon to two counts of first-degree official misconduct, one count of third-degree sexual abuse and one count of sexual harassment.

The charges stem from accusations he abused his power as a judge by using female parolees and employees to gratify his sexual desires.

Three of the victims are women the judge had supervised in his court. He also sexually harassed a Lebanon Police Department dispatcher.

Houchin waived his rights to any further waiting periods, allowing himself to be sentenced immediately after his pleas.

His attorney, Paul Kuebrich, said Houchin signed a guilty plea in his office at about 2:30 this afternoon, as well as a formal resignation from the Oregon State Bar, which was a condition of his parole.

Three of the four victims attended the hearing, two of them speaking to the court.

"I sit here today before you all confused and disgusted in total shock," said victim Joy Fentress, visibly shaking. "Our lives will never be the same, and it's all thanks to you, dishonorable Judge Houchin."

Fentress said thank you to the women who stood up and spoke out against Houchin's indiscretions.

"You knew all my trials and tribulations, physically and legally," she said to Houchin, who did not look at any of the victims because, Kuebrich said, he was asked not to.

"He did not mean any disrespect to the victims," Kuebrich said.

Houchin was sentenced to five years supervised probation, 30 days in jail, 80 hours of community service for each count, registration as a sex offender, sex offender evaluation and treatment, disclosure of all prior victims and must pay $633 in fines and charges.

Fentress asked Judge Rick McCormick to reconsider the jail time.

Oregon Attorney General commented on the sentence in a press release shortly after the hearing.

"We must hold our public officials to a high standard," said Attorney General John Kroger.

The case was investigated by the Oregon Department of Justice's Criminal Justice Division. The Division investigates and prosecutes public corruption, complex drug trafficking, violent crime and the sexual exploitation of children.

Assistant Attorney General Marc Weinstein and Senior Assistant Attorney General Cheryl A. Pellegrini prosecuted this case.

This story will be updated in the Lebanon Express print edition next week and on lebanon-express.com as soon as more information becomes available.