News : DuCharme sentenced to Probation

Nearly 40 people filled half of the courtroom for the sentencing of Robert "Bob" Ducharme. DuCharme was arrested last March 5, 2024, on a total of 10 charges: Ducharme, 61, a Vinton resident and former owner of Tactical Creations. made an Alford Plea* in the case. Sentencing was before Judge Mark Fisher on Thursday, March 27, 2025, at 1:30 p.m.

Also in attendance were members of the group, "Bikers Against Child Abuse." Arriving in their biker gear they supported the family of the victims the courthouse and in the courtroom.

As part of the sentencing victim impact statements were heard from each of the children and the mother of the children. Two of the children had a representative read for their words. One of the young victims was brave enough to read their own statement in the courtroom concerning the things they had experienced at the hands of DuCharme.

The statement was moving and brought tears to many in the room. In it the young child extended forgiveness to DuCharme's wife explaining that the child understood that the wife only knew what her husband had told her.

At one point during part of the mother's statement, she shared a question that she had which made DuCharme react. He began yelling at the mother and denying what she said. She ended her statement to the court in tears.

A defiant DuCharme stared down each of those sharing the statements while his wife sat behind him shaking her head in disagreement to the words. In a Facebook post from last year, DuCharme had reacted posting, "Everyone that knows me knows this is total BS. I would NEVER HURT ANYONE ESPECIALLY FAMILY." He also commented on other social media posts saying the same insisting on his innocence.

His original charges were as follows:

1 - Sexual Abuse, Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child, a Class B Felony

2,3,4,5,6 - Sexual Abuse, 2nd Degree, Class B Felony

7 - Assault with intent to Commit Sexual Abuse, Aggravated Misdemeanor

These charges were all dismissed, due to a plea deal. In the following charges, DuCharme entered an Alford Plea* (definition below).

Charge 8:

8 - Assault with intent to Commit Sexual Abuse, Aggravated Misdemeanor, this has a written plea of guilt but a sentencing agreement was not agreed to.

Charges 9, 10 - Lascivious Acts with a Child - Fondle or Touch, Class C Felony.

As part of a plea deal, between the victims, the state and DuCharme, he received a 10-year suspended prison sentence for counts 9 and 10, and three years probation for each account to serve concurrently. For Count 8, Assault with intent to Commit Sexual Abuse, he received 3 years of probation served concurrently.

He will have to register as a Sex Offender and submit his DNA to the state. He also received other fees and fines as part of his sentencing. A no-contact order was only extended for five years to each of the victims in the case. This can be renewed at the end of the five years at the request of the victims.

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*Alford Plea:

An Alford plea is not the same as a standard guilty plea because a defendant entering an Alford plea maintains their innocence while acknowledging that the prosecution has enough evidence to convict them, essentially pleading guilty without admitting guilt to the crime itself; meaning, the legal outcome is the same as a guilty plea, but the defendant can still claim innocence.