WELLSBURG — Just after a jury was selected Tuesday to consider sexual abuse charges filed against a Follansbee man, the case was brought to an end with a plea entered by the defendant.

Timothy P. Iverson, 44, of Follansbee entered a Kennedy plea to the felony offense of sexual abuse by a custodian, a charge filed against adults accused of having inappropriate sexual contact with a child in their care.

A Kennedy plea is entered when a defendant denies he or she has committed an offense but acknowledges a jury could return a verdict of guilty if the case went to trial.

First Judicial Circuit Court Judge Jason Cuomo accepted the plea agreement and its sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison for Iverson, followed by 50 years of supervised release.

The judge noted Iverson will be required to submit personal information to the state’s register of sexual offenders and conform with restrictions on contact with children.

With the plea agreement, more than 80 other counts of third-degree sexual assault or sexual abuse by a custodian have been dismissed.

The agreement was reached by Pete Kurelac, Iverson’s attorney, and Brooke County Prosecuting Attorney Allison Cowden.

Cowden said it was supported by the victim, who is now an adult and was prepared to offer testimony during the trial.

Also slated to testify was West Virginia State Police Cpl. Rob McMahon, who investigated the allegations.