POWHATAN, Va. — A former school band leader in Powhatan County, Virginia, and church music minister will spend eight years behind bars after pleading guilty on Thursday to charges related to child sex crimes.
Andrew Clinton Snead pleaded guilty to seven counts of indecent liberties with a minor while in a custodial role and one count of solicitation of a pornographic image of a minor, according to the Powhatan Commonwealth's Attorney Office.
He was sentenced to 30 years with 22 years suspended, meaning he will spend a total active sentence of eight years in the Virginia Department of Corrections.
When Snead, 36, is released, he will be on indefinite probation and be placed on the Virginia Sex Offender Registry.
"The plea agreement was pursued in part to spare the victims and their families further trauma by requiring them to testify in a contentious and adversarial trial," the Powhatan Commonwealth Attorney's office stated in a press release.
The office added that Snead's sentence was above the guidelines for the crimes and said it was because of Snead's conduct and his violation of trust.
In court, Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Timothy Dustan said the victims spanned from 2010-2022, and along with inappropriate sexual contact at school and elsewhere (such as making out or groping), he also bought gifts for victims, (including alcohol on two band trips to Dayton, Ohio), solicited naked photos and sexual acts.
Dustan said Snead groomed his victims and some of Snead's victims who gave impact statements called it "textbook" grooming.
Prosecutors added that had the case gone to trial, they would have brought more charges. They added that this plea agreement applies to only these victims and should other potential victims come forward with new allegations, they could bring new charges.
"I'm very happy it's over and he can't hurt anybody else anymore. I think that's the biggest thing," Bella Hoffman, one of Snead's victims who spoke in court and talked with CBS 6 afterward, said. "I needed him to know what I had to say and my thoughts. And I also really wanted his parents and family to hear what I had to say about what had happened to me because I know a lot of people are still in denial."
Hoffman said the experience impacted her physically and mentally.
"I definitely feel different about everything. I look at everything differently now. I watch people a lot closer. I've -- more of my trust has definitely changed over time," she added.
Hoffman said it was her coming forward last year that led to the initial charges and broader investigation that brought more. Hoffman's mother also addressed the court and said how proud she was of her daughter adding she did something Snead never saw coming -- she fought back.
When given a chance, Snead told the court he's now realized how much he hurt his victims, their families, and the broader community and said he offered "his most sincere apology" and promised to help people moving forward.
Hoffman said she does not believe him or think she'll ever be able to forgive him.
"I don't think he would stop if he was still there. So, in a way, it's just it doesn't really mean anything to me because he wouldn't have changed if this didn't happen," she said.
Hoffman said while this experience has changed her, she is making sure it ends up being for the better and while she is glad to have stopped Snead's predation, she wants to teach other kids and prevent them from becoming victims themselves.
"I want kids to know what grooming is because I didn't know what it was. I just thought he was being nice to me. And every teenager wants somebody to be nice to them. So I thought he was being nice to me, but it was the opposite," said Hoffman.
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