Former police officer pleads guilty to sexually abusing girl

BY STAN FINGER
The Wichita Eagle

A former Conway Springs police officer has pleaded guilty to four criminal counts connected to the sexual abuse of an 11-year-old girl.

Bradley Whorton pleaded guilty in Sedgwick County District Court on Wednesday to two counts of aggravated criminal sodomy and two counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child.

Wichita police have said the abuse started in October 2006 and occurred in Wichita, where the girl lived with her mother. Abuse also reportedly took place in Florence, where the girl's father lived.

The girl reported the abuse to a school district employee in January 2008, and the employee notified authorities.

Whorton was fired from his part-time police job after officials in Conway Springs learned of his arrest.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 5 by Judge Joseph Bribiesca.

Under Jessica's Law, he faces a sentence of 25 years to life in prison on each criminal count.

The girl's mother, Patricia Osborne, 39, pleaded guilty in July 2008 to aggravated child endangerment and was sentenced to one year of probation.

The girl's father, Johnathan Shultz of Florence, who was 33 at the time of his arrest, pleaded guilty in April to one count of rape.

He was sentenced to 18 years in prison.

Reach Stan Finger at 316-268-6437 or sfinger@wichitaeagle.com.