Marionville’s Able gets nine years for sex crimes

A Marionville man was sentenced to nine years in prison after pleading guilty to two charges of statutory sodomy in the second degree. Jimmy Joe Able, pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced on Tuesday, July 1, at the Barry County Courthouse in Cassville. His case was transferred there on a change of venue in January of this year.
According to court documents, Able stated he understood the charges against him, and admitted to having “deviate sexual intercourse” with two underage girls. One of the victims was under the age of 14 at the time of the abuse; the other was under the age of 12.
Able, 54, received five years in prison for the first count of sodomy and four years in prison for the second; the sentences will run consecutively.
 Able was originally charged with three counts of statutory sodomy, as well as sodomy, statutory rape and rape when he was arrested on Nov. 5, 2016. According to the probable cause statement in the case, the investigation against Able began in May of 2015. During the investigation, the first victim claimed Able forced her to perform a sexual act on him in December of 1999, while the rest of her family was out Christmas shopping. The victim also said Able threatened to kill her if she told anyone.
During the investigation, a second victim came forward and said Able repeatedly sexually assaulted her between 1992 and 1996; she also said Able had intercourse with her in 1995 and again in 1998 or 1999. A third victim was also interviewed, but told the investigator “I have forgiven him years ago.”
Able was released from the custody of the Lawrence County Jail in the early morning hours of Wednesday, July 3. Court documents stated the Barry County Sheriff’s Department transported him to the Fulton Reception and Diagnostic Center in Fulton.
Able remained in the custody of the Lawrence County Jail from the time of his arrest until he was released to be transported to Fulton. The time he spent in jail will be credited towards his sentence.