Travis Fieldgrove, who had sex with a woman who was both his wife and his daughter, was sentenced Thursday to two years in prison.
Hall County District Judge Mark Young issued the sentence, with credit given for 121 days already served. As a practical matter, Fieldgrove, of St. Paul, Nebraska, will serve 144 more days in jail.
Young also added 12 months of post-release supervision. During that time, Fieldgrove, 40, is ordered to have no contact with Samantha Kershner, 21.
Fieldgrove and Kershner were married Oct. 1 in Hastings. Fieldgrove initially was charged with committing incest, a felony. But under a plea agreement, he pleaded no contest in April to an attempt charge.
Under the plea agreement, the prosecutor and public defender made a joint recommendation that Fieldgrove be sentenced to two years in jail.
Both sides agree that incest was committed, a fact proven by DNA tests.
According to a court affidavit, Grand Island police officers spoke to Fieldgrove and Kershner in September after receiving a tip about their relationship and allegations of incest. Both admitted that they were having a romantic and sexual relationship.
About three years ago, Kershner told police, she told her mother she wanted to know who her father was and meet him. Her mother identified Fieldgrove as the father and arranged a meeting. For the next three years, Fieldgrove and Kershner told police, they had a father-daughter relationship.
Both declined to tell officers how the relationship turned sexual, but said they had had sex Sept. 10.
Defense attorney Jeff Loeffler said Fieldgrove is embarrassed by the offense and wishes that it had never happened. In addition, Fieldgrove suffers from a brain injury and is not a “high-functioning” person, Loeffler said.
Fieldgrove still faces legal action in Adams County.
