Arrest made in Pressley Ridge sexual assault

HUNTINGTON — A former employee of the Pressley Ridge Juvenile Center is under arrest.

Cabell County sheriff’s deputies captured Joey Plybon at a residence Thursday morning. He is charged with two counts of sexual abuse by a person of trust, along with one count of third-degree sexual assault.

Plybon, 23, of Huntington denied the allegations. He said he worked two days at the center before he was suspended. He recalled officials telling him an incident had been reported.

Girls detained at the center are in state custody. It is located at 2580 Grant Gardens Road in Ona.

According to the arrest warrant, Plybon’s two days of work were long enough for him to sexually abuse two girls. His nightshift job assignment was to watch girls staying on the second floor of the facility. Both girls were 14.

Court documents charge Plybon with touching both girls and having intercourse with one of them. It happened in a room that contained more than one resident. The incident occurred April 28.

Plybon said he is innocent of the charges.

“I don’t know what’s up, really,” he said.

Det. William Templeton said investigators received a tip about Plybon’s whereabouts. That led to them locating him in the 1100 block of 17th Street West.

Templeton said Plybon initially tried to escape out a back door, but he did not offer any further resistance.

Magistrate Amber Hanna detained Plybon on a $60,000 bond. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 6.