By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

A Helena man will spend 10 years in the state penitentiary after he pleaded guilty to one count of sexual abuse of a child younger than 12 on Feb. 6.

Charles Jeremy Gleber, 43, pleaded guilty to the charge in front of Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Dan Reeves about a year and three months after he was arrested at a Pelham hotel and charged with the crime.

Gleber, who posted a $30,000 bond from the Shelby County Jail shortly after he was arrested, appeared in court with is attorney, Jonathan Spann. Gleber’s sentence was the mandatory minimum for the crime, and was part of a plea deal.

Reeves said the prison sentence range for the crime could have been between two and 20 years.

In addition to serving 10 years in prison, Gleber must also complete a sex offender intervention program while incarcerated and must register as a sex offender after he is released from prison, Reeves said.

Gleber appeared in court wearing blue jeans, a button-up shirt and a pullover jacket. He was taken into custody after he pleaded. He did not offer comment before he was sentenced.

Assistant Shelby County District Attorney Allison Boyd said had Gleber’s case gone to trial, the state would have proven Gleber fondled the genitals and breasts of a 9-year-old girl on Oct. 16, 2011 while the victim was staying at his house on Belmont Lane in Helena.

The victim and her family, and several members of Gleber’s family, were in the courtroom for the hearing.

Boyd said Gleber’s case originally was scheduled to go to trial beginning on Feb. 11 before the plea deal was reached.

Gleber was arrested by Pelham and Helena police officers and charged with the crime on Oct. 20, 2011 at a hotel off Alabama 119 in Pelham.