A former Carroll County schools superintendent must serve out the remainder of his probation and register on the sex offender?s list.
Carroll Circuit Court Judge Luke Burns ruled against a request Wednesday to terminate the remainder of William H. Hyde?s probation, said David Daggett, Carroll?s deputy state?s attorney
Hyde was convicted in 2003 for sexually abusing an elementary-aged Westminster girl.
Hydes? attorneys Ed Ulsch and Kathi Hill asked that the remaining 3 1/2 years of his five-year probation be terminated, and the conviction listing removed from record, Daggett said.
They argued that the ex-school official was a model inmate during his 15-year sentence.
“The girl and her family were in agreement with me that they would feel more comfortable if he had to check in with a probation officer,” Daggett said.
Hyde must serve another 1 1/2 years of supervised probation and two years of unsupervised probation, he said.
In filing the motion, Hyde?s attorneys cited a 2004 audit of the county?s Child Abuse Sexual Assault unit that found evidence of improper investigation techniques.
“The judge felt that he showed his compassion and mercy at the sentencing,” Daggett said.
“I think the judge has been very, very fair from the get-go.”
Hyde must still register as a sex offender with the statewide registry, Daggett said.
Had the judge approved his motion for a reduced sentence, Hyde would not have to report to anyone, and if he had another brush with the law, he wouldn?t have the “13 years [of prison] hanging over his head,” he said.
Hyde was sentenced to another six months in jail last year in a Virginia case involving the abuse of the same girl.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
