ROBERTSDALE, Ala. — Radio personality Walter J. Bowen was sentenced to 10 years in the state penitentiary, plus additional fines after entering a guilty plea with the Baldwin County District Attorney’s office on charges of sex abuse of a child under the age of 12.

“I was pleased that Mr. Bowen admitted his guilt in this matter so that the young victim would not have to be put through a trial,” said District Attorney Judy A. Newcomb, announcing the plea in a written statement on Wednesday.

Bowen, 67, was owner of radio station WNSI when he was arrested Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009 at his studio on Fairground Road in Robertsdale by the Robertsdale Police Department.

According to Sgt. Rex Bishop, Chief Investigator for the Robertsdale Police Department, Bowen was indicted by a Baldwin County Grand Jury on two charges of sexual abuse of a child under 12 years of age. One case was investigated by the Robertsdale Police Department, and the other by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.

The Robertsdale PD investigation was based on a report received in August of 2009, Bishop said at the time of Bowen’s arrest.

Bowen was indicted on charges of sex abuse with a child of less than 12 years old, a Class B felony, which carries a sentence of 10 to 20 years in the state penitentiary.

According to the release from the DA’s office, Bowen was charged with “sexually abusing a child less than 12 years of age in 2009 by touching her on her breasts and private areas.”

Based on a plea agreement reached with the State of Alabama, Circuit Judge Charles Partin sentenced Bowen to 10 years in the state penitentiary, a $500 fine, $250 to crime victims and costs of court. Bowen had another pending case of sex abuse of a child less than 12 years old which was nol prossed because of the plea agreement. Bowen was ordered to have no contact with either victim or victims’ families.

Once released from prison, Bowen will be required to register as a sex offender, according to the release.